Genesis Rhapsodos Love Story
by xAkinaxChanx
Summary: Mekina, a young girl, becomes the first female to join SOLDIER, and experiences many life changing things... from happiness, sadness, friendship, despair, and love, as well as many other things.
1. Chapter 1

**Ever since what happened with Quizilla I've been wanting to repost this story on here for safe keeping. They deleted everything but gave it back a while after. I'm also xAkinaxChanx from there. This also was the first story I ever written, and i'm very proud of it :] (Well except for the beginning chapters...)**  
><strong>Disclaimer: This rightfully belongs to Square Enix, while I only own my OC <strong>

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><p>Screams were heard in the entrance of a town as guards were killed by a group monsters. The villagers who witnessed this gruesome scene screamed before running away as fast as they could to warn the Chief of the village. Unfortunately, they were killed before they could even move several feet away, the monsters brutally tearing their limbs off, ridding them to a bloody mess. The monsters advanced into the town, wildly killing anyone in sight. A couple of the guards who were currently passing by on patrol on the inner part of town saw this, and wasted no time in sending someone to tell the Chief of the assault while the other guards fought. The young guard in training, no older than thirteen, ran like a blur to the Chief and in about a minute or two of running, made it to his office, breathing haggardly.<p>

"Sir, we're under attack!" The chief looked up from his paperwork to the young man in his doorway. "By what?" The guard answered quickly, "A group of monsters! About thirty or fourty of 'em sir!" The chief's eyes widened and he rose from his desk, put on his cloak and reached for the sword behind him. "Alright, go get back up!" He ordered him as he grabbed his sword before running out the door. "Yes sir!" The guard saluted the man as he left the room before scrambling out the door as well.

The moment the Chief came outside, he heard many screams of terror, pain, and agony coming from the northern side of town, and rushed towards that direction while unsheathing his sword. Nearly all the people in the northern part of the town were killed and once the chief got there, he gasped, horrified at what he was seeing. Blood and mutilated corpses covered the ground, and as he took in more of the sight, the monsters began to surround him. His eyes narrowed in anger as he moved towards them, stabbing the first one in the side, making it roar in pain. The creature clawed at him, and he ducked down, narrowly missing the fatal attack.

About ten to fifteen monsters ran to the other side of town as he fought, and almost instantly, more disturbing sounds ran through the air. Another monster jumped at the chief from behind, biting deeply into the man's shoulder. He let out a pained grunt before turning his blade backwards, stabbing the monster all the way through the chest of the beast. Just as he did that, the rest of the monsters jumped on him at once and ripped into his skin, killing him within a matter of seconds. All the guards were eventually killed as well, and the monsters had killed about two thirds of the village at this point. A far off scream of a woman was heard in a house a little ways deeper into town.

"Come on, Naomi, push!"

A young man held his pregnant wife's hand. "I don't think I can do this in ti-" She was cut off by her own scream and squeezed his hand tightly. "Just a little more, I can see the head!" He told her as he tightened his grip around her hand as well. "Oh my go-" She let out another scream. When her scream subsided, the sound of a baby crying filled the room. "Just a little more!" Her husband urged her, and with one last push, the baby was out. They could hear the cries of the villagers getting closer which meant they didn't have much time left. But even so, the parents still tried to make the best out of the moment while it lasted. They were finally parents!

"It's a girl." The father smiled lovingly at his daughter before handing her to his wife. "She's beautiful..." Not too long after that was said, the door began to get clawed open. "Oh no..." He mumbled under his breath before lifting his wife up, carrying her bridal style as she cradled the baby in her lap. He ran to the back of the house and closed the door. "I'm going to fight... stay here, alright? I'll try to buy you some time." He gently set her down on the ground. "No! Don't go! Don't leave me... don't leave us." He stared at her for a moment, before muttering, "I'm sorry, Naomi." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips before dipping his head down to kiss his daughter's forehead. The baby lightly giggled at his touch making a somber smile appear on his face.

"What should we name her?" Naomi asked with a small smile. "Hmm... how about..." He pondered for a few moment, "... Mekina?" He questioned, smiling. "What a pretty name." Naomi wrapped her arms more securely around the baby as she spoke. "So that's a yes?" He asked, resting a hand on the infant's head while softly running a thumb along her temple. "Of course!" She smiled up at him. "Then Mekina it is." He smiled at Mekina once again, then looked back up at Naomi. "If I don't come back, remember that I love you both... with all my heart." He mumbled softly before kissing Naomi one last time. A few more seconds passed before he hesitantly removed his hand from Mekina's head.

He then turned away so he wouldn't see the tears threatening to break from Naomi's eyes, and walked out to the door, sword in hand. "I love you, Hitoru." Naomi sullenly watched her husband leave the room one last time. Once he closed and locked the door, she looked around the room for anything to hide the newborn in, and eventually her eyes landed on a crate in the corner of the room. She took off her necklace and stared at it for a moment, letting her tears fall freely down her cheeks as she did so. She put it around Mekina's neck before placing her in the crate, and leaned in, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. She lingered for a moment, then pulled back to look around the room for a paper and pencil. Once she found them she began to write.

_Mekina,_

_As long as you have this necklace you may be able to retrace who, and what, you are. Please keep it close to you, for when you do find out the truth, it may be your safety object to remember that you are not alone. I'm so sorry that our time together was short, but know this - know that your parents love you, Mekina. Know that we always have, and always will._

When she finished, she placed the paper gently on her baby, and slowly reached for the top of the crate, but stopped herself. Sticking her hands into the crate, she tucked the small blanket around her baby, making sure she was snug. Resting her hand along her daughter's cheek, she watched her daughter through glassy eyes. Finally, pulling her hands back, she closed the crate as a loud grunt came from the other room her husband was in. The sound was soon followed by a thud then silence. She looked around, searching for anything to use as a weapon. Her eyes soon rested on a short pole leaning against the wall about three feet away from her and grabbed it, waiting for the monsters to break the door down.

Wiping her eyes, she shakily rose into a defensive stance in front of the crate, holding the pole tightly in both hands as she waited uneasily for them to rip the door apart and attack. The young woman listened intently as many things in the house were being ripped apart, and after about one or two more minutes, the door began to rip and tear open. The monsters broke in within seconds and charged towards her. She swung her pole down, striking one in the head as another bit her leg deeply, causing her to scream and fall to the wooden floor. A few seconds later, she laid covered in her own blood as they ripped through her flesh, killing her.

...

You woke up in a cold sweat, heart beating fast. _That makes the sixth time I had this dream... why do I even still get it if it happened so long ago, anyway?_ Reaching a hand up, you wiped away the sweat from your forehead. Glancing down at your necklace you let your hand drop to it, lightly grasping it. After a moment of letting pieces of the dream run through your mind, you looked to the clock, eyes soon widening. _7:16? I'm supposed to be there in twenty four minutes!_

Jumping out of bed and running to your closet, you pulled out some clothes and tossed them on the bed before going into the bathroom to brush your teeth. When done, you went back to the bed and hastily put on the clothes of choice, then combed your fingers through your hair, trying to get rid of the bed hair. When you felt decent enough, you darted out of the apartment and glanced at your watch, realizing you only had about fifteen minutes left. _If I miss this, then my chances of joining SOLDIER will be gone until next year! I can't let that happen!_ When outside you quickened your pace and made a beeline straight for Shinra HQ.

...

Panting heavily, you entered Shinra HQ getting strange stares from most of the people near the entrance of the room. Trying to ignore the looks, you ran over to the front desk. "Hello, how may I help you?" The woman asked kindly as you tried to recollect yourself enough to speak in even breaths. "Could you tell me where they're recruiting SOLDIER, please?" She answered without hesitation, noticing the time. "49th floor, then go in the right hallway, keep going straight then you should be there!" She replied with a smile, which you returned it. "Thanks." You gave her a little salute before running off toward the elevator.

Somehow managing to squeeze into the cramped elevator, you waited impatiently for your floor. You glanced at your watch again. _Five more minutes, but I can still make it though! ...Hopefully_. The ding noise interrupted your thoughts, and you exited the elevator, going into a sprint. Right hallway, keep going straight. Well this is easy, you smiled. Soon seeing the doors straight ahead, you tried to slow down before colliding into them, but sadly failed. You hit the doors and fell on the floor with a loud thud. And once again, everyone near the door stared at you, eyes slightly widened in shock or filled with amusement.

Luckily for you, you seemed to be on time since lots of people were still standing around the room, conversing with one another. On the downside, you noticed how much eyes were on you, which caused your face to heat up somewhat. You also noticed how a couple of heads were facing your direction on the far side of the room, and when you turned to look, realized a couple of the 1st class were watching you. Of course the 1sts would hear the noise, what with their improved hearing because of the mako enhancements and all. Needless to say, this made you feel even more embarrassed. _Way to go, Mekina... now just try to blend in._

And you did just that, going deeper into the room, successfully hiding within the crowd of eager and nervous teenagers and young adults. After finding your way to a wall, you let out a relieved sigh while pressing against it. There was about a hundred or so people in the room and you had managed to get near the back, somehow. A half smile made way to your face, happy that you got away from the people who saw your little scene. Leaning back against the wall, a couple more minutes of waiting passed until the president finally entered the room and all of you quieted down, listening attentively to what he had to say in order for you to join SOLDIER.


	2. Chapter 2

**Enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: This rightfully belongs to Square Enix, not me... I only own my OC**

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><p>Once the president was done explaining what to do, all of the recruits rushed out to the training room, following the president's lead. You all eventually stopped at a big door, and the President slid his ID Card into the machine, making the door open. Everyone went in feeling too excited to even realize that they were all being watched by some of the 1st Class that were off duty. The 1sts slipped by, going to the other room to watch behind the glass. "Alright everyone, first thing we'll be doing is testing how good you are at fighting."<p>

The president walked over to the machine on the other side of the room and pressed some buttons. Instantly, all of your surroundings changed into a forest and everyone either stared in awe, shock, amazement, or a bit of everything all together. "Now, fend yourselves!" The president ordered as he began pressing more buttons on his phone, making virtual enemies surround everyone. They took the form of Shinra men. "The rules are very simple... last ten minutes without getting hit three times."

Everyone unsheathed their swords at once and attacked. At the moment, you were getting attacked by two of them. Moving towards the one on the right, you swung your sword at his head which he blocked with ease while the other came running behind you. Adding pressure to your blade, you pushed the man back somewhat before spinning around to face the oncoming one, and kicked him in the gut, sending him back into the ground. He slowly began to fade away.

That was too easy! A triumphant smile appeared on your face. No more than a second later, you finally remembered the other enemy. Oh crap... You turned to where he use to be, only to find that he was no longer there. You scanned the area, but all you saw were the other recruits fighting the other virtual enemies. A couple seconds after taking another look around, a sharp pain ran through your back and you dropped to your knees. Looking over your shoulder, you saw the enemy holding a bloody blade. Grimacing a bit, you rose to your feet, trying to ignore the pain, and rushed towards him, aiming for his side.

He swiftly dodged the attack, and you brought a leg up to kick him in the head, which he caught before crouching under your leg, then standing up again, making you flip and fall on your back with a wince. Since your legs were close to him, you sweeped a leg into his, causing him to trip. Now, holding your sword above the man, you brought it down, successfully taking him down. After watching the man disappear for a moment, you stood up and ran to another enemy from behind, impaling him in the back. Once that one faded away, you looked to everyone else, wondering how they were doing. Wow, still a lot of people left... about fifty? You glanced at your watch. Two minutes left.

...

The president pressed more buttons on his phone making all the enemy's disappear while the room went back to normal. "Good job. Those who lost, leave... and don't even try pretend you made it if you lost. We know who you are." After that, the President held up his phone and scanned over the crowd, picking out the ones who had numerous glowing wounds on them that could only be seen through his phone. Groans were heard as people walked away sulking. You only raised a brow as some were looking at you in disbelief, wondering how they lost and you made it. Once everyone was gone, the president smiled.

"This is the first time so many people passed this test. It's usually at least twenty or so people." Everyone was once again shocked because they just realized that the 1sts were watching them the whole time. _Whoa, even Sephiroth's here!_ The president chuckled from the looks on everyones face. "Alright, now we'll make things harder." He said as a smirk played on his lips. "I'll make the virtual enemies three levels higher, and not only will you be fighting them off, but you have to fight against each other as well. So in other words, this is a free for all." His smirk increased as he finished. _Well, that sounds like fun.._. You thought sarcastically, but still couldn't help feeling at least a little excited about the whole ordeal.

"Oh, and before I forget," The president looked up from his phone, "The time limit will be thirty minutes, and you can only get hit three times." He then looked back down to his phone, changing the scenery to an open meadow of tall grass with several trees scattered about. Some of the trees even had low branches so you could probably climb them, if need be. Looking around, you couldn't help but feel some peace even though you knew what was going to happen. It all just looked so... soothing. Tilting your head back, you gazed up to the blue skies and breathed in the fresh air for a moment. _It's just like the real thing here..._ _I missed being near places like this. _You faintly smiled, and lowered your head back down to see about a hundred virtual enemies spawning in different areas. Letting the smile fade, you backed away from others somewhat before starting on the president's command.

Soon, you were surrounded by four enemies that were closing in pretty fast. You quickly jumped into the air and outside of the circle you were almost trapped in. Moving to the closest one, you raised your sword high before bringing it down, aiming for the virtual SOLDIER's shoulder. He instantly turned around in a blur, and blocked it. When you locked swords with each other, the other enemies rushed towards you, and you quickly forced yourself to the side, safely out of reach from his sword before jumping over another opponent, trying to avoid being in the middle of them. Once you landed on the ground they started running towards you again, and you lifted your sword in the air, spinning it for a moment, then brought it down in front of you, moving it in fast, but sloppy, figure eights, cutting one of them to pieces. Slicing another apart, you got hit in the shoulder by one on your right.

Turning to him, you hit your sword to his face before jumping back, narrowly avoiding a thrust to the stomach by the remaining enemy. After blocking another one of his attacks, you then kicked him as hard as you could into a tree, getting him impaled by a branch. Panting heavily, you reached a hand to your bleeding shoulder, wincing as your fingertips slightly came into contact with it. You turned around, wanting to see how many enemies were left, only to see another jumping towards you. Swiftly side stepping, you turned to the man, bringing your sword down upon him, cutting him in half. You sighed in relief before getting up and leaning against a tree, trying to catch your breath. "Don't think you can relax just yet!" Someone yelled. Your eyes widened and quickly moved to the side, barely missing his blade.

The teen spun around, twirling his sword above his head before bringing it down on you. You raised your sword up, placing a hand along the blade when both of your swords met to help hold the weight. You both eventually moved back before going towards each other again, swords clashing. He swung his sword to your legs, but you jumped over it and kicked him in the side, making him back up a little. He rushed towards you with his sword aimed at your side, and you tried to get out of the way but weren't fast enough. His sword collided into part of your stomach, making you cry out a bit before you retaliated by swinging your sword at him again. He successfully blocked the assault and after several moments, you two moved backwards at once, and when you were about to run back to each other, the President stopped all of you.

"Stop!" The president returned the virtual room back to normal. Lifting up his phone to scan over everyone, he was pleased to see that nearly everyone was still there. "This is the first time this happened. Interesting..." The president said under his breath. "Well, since that's over... it's about time you all got the mako injection." He turned on his heel, walking to the exit. _Injection? Where?_ Nervousness began to overcome you as you put your sword back in its holder.

You looked around and saw a couple others baring similar nervous expressions as well. "It's not as bad as it sounds. Such a task shouldn't be difficult for soon to be SOLDIER members." He said, never once sparing any of you a glance, "Come." Everyone followed him out of the room and down the hall for several minutes. He stopped at a metal door and knocked. "Who is it?" A shrill voice came from the other side of the door. "President Shinra." The door instantly opened and all the new recruits went in while the 1st class stayed in the hall. You looked around at the tubes in the lab curiously.

"All of you go to the back of the room away from my specimen. Now!" All of you did as he said. "This is Professor Hojo and he will be the one injecting mako in all of you." With his hands clasped behind him, the president took a step back, letting Hojo do what he had to do. "Who wants to go first?" No one said anything. This delay was wasting the time the scientist could be spending on his experiments causing Hojo to release an irritated sigh. "I can't believe all of you want to be in SOLDIER, yet you're too afraid of getting an injection! Pathetic!" When he said that a boy in his mid teens shakily rose a hand. "Good. Come here, boy." Hojo walked into the room. All of you stared at the boy as he walked to the room, looking back at the group with fear evident in his forest green eyes before disappearing from view.

There was an awkward silence for about a minute until a scream came from the room. Oh man, what did I get myself into? Not too long after, the boy walked out of the room, swaying a bit with his eyes closed. Everyone went over to him to see if he was okay. He opened his eyes after a moment and they were an gradually beginning to turn blue. "Whoa, cool dude." A guy said patting his shoulder. "How bad did it hurt?" Someone else questioned. "Where did he inject it?"

Everyone was swarming him with questions, only becoming silent when Hojo walked back into room. "Who's next?" His eyes slowly traveled over each of your faces, soon stopping on you, one of the shortest ones of the group. When you realized he was looking at you, you unwillingly flinched. A sick smile formed on his face at that. "Oh? How about the girl?" _Why me...? I'll have to go eventually, so it doesn't really matter, but..._ "Fine." Putting on a brave face, you slightly lifted your chin and hesitantly walked past him, entering the room with him following closely behind you.


	3. Chapter 3

As you entered the room, you heard the door close and lock behind you, and stopped to watch Hojo walk pass you to a table, getting a syringe. He inspected the tool for a moment and walked over to a tube of mako. "Sit down." You walked over to the examining table and hesitantly took a seat. Once he finished filling up the syringe, he turned to you, stopping only for a few seconds to watch you visibly shake in amusement. He chuckled while walking towards you. "Don't worry, this wont hurt too much" Smirking, he injected the mako into your neck without warning. This made an unwanted scream leave your lips.

...

"I wonder if she can handle this part..." Angeal mused silently. "I cant help but find it strange that a girl would want to join SOLDIER... she seems to be a bit clumsy and could easily get hurt by the others." A 1st pondered aloud, deep in thought. "She did get hurt. Didn't you see what happened to her only a few minutes ago?" Another 1st questioned, looking at him. "Not just physically. You know how those kids can be..." The other 1st replied and Angeal sighed a little. "Don't worry, Angeal. I'm sure she can handle-" Instantly, as if on cue, a feminine scream was heard. "-it." Genesis trailed off, glancing at Angeal. "...Well, there's no need to worry anymore since it's done." Sephiroth said reassuringly as Angeal nodded his head. Genesis chuckled. "Or it could have been one of the younger 3rds, having yet to hit puberty..." Angeal just sighed and shook his head, though a small smirk threatened to show itself, he held it back.

...

Once Hojo unlocked the door you walked out, swaying lightly from side to side with a hand to your head, eyes closed tightly. _He could have at least warned me when he was going to do that. My eyes hurt... so dizzy_, you leaned on the closest wall near you, soon swarmed by the others. "Hey! Are you okay?" You felt a warm hand on your shoulder. "May we see your eyes, please?" Someone kindly asked. "That was a pretty loud scream... must've hurt really badly." Another voice joined in, clearly afraid. You opened your eyes and blinked a few times before looking at him, "So I guess it really is a gradual change... I can still see some of your normal eye color in there." The one in front of you said just as Hojo came out again.

"Yes, by tomorrow the blue will become completely dominant. Now is anyone going to come in here or do I have to pick everytime!?" The scientist asked, raising his voice. "I'll go, jeez..." A boy with black hair and brown eyes calmly walked into the room, slipping his hands in his pockets. Hojo followed and closed the door with a slam. You staggered over to the boy who went in first, who was currently laying on the ground, covering his eyes with an arm. "Hey, you alright?" You asked, somewhat peering over him. He moved his arm to uncover an eye. "Yeah..." Taking note of your new, slow changing eye color, he then added, "Are you?" He slowly sat up so he wouldn't get dizzy as you gave him a small nod. You leaned back against the wall and slid down it to sit next to him. "I'm Takamo." He let out a friendly smile. "Mekina." You smiled back.

**Twenty Minutes Later**

You became fast friends with Takamo, and learned that he was no more than a year older than you, making him sixteen. "Alright, I think that's everyone." The president said, looking around at everyones eyes. He started to walk out of the room. "Good job, Hojo." Professor Hojo turned to him and raised a hand in good bye. Once he was out of the room, everyone quickly followed after him, no longer wanting to be near this creepy scientist any longer. You were one of the last ones leaving and were able to hear him talking to himself. "So much time wasted! Now I lost my place and have to start all over again!" He muttered angrily under his breath as he grabbed his clip board, beginning to write down notes.

Once you got out, you couldn't help but stare at each of the 1sts for a few seconds, but stopped your gaze on the eyes of a particular 1st. They were one of the most beautiful eyes you had ever seen and they seemed to be glowing even more than the other SOLDIER's. Yes, all SOLDIER's had a certain glow to their eyes, but his seemed to glow brighter than usual. Which leads to another thing you deeply admired about SOLDIER; each person had different shades of blue eyes. He turned his head to look at the president, and for a short moment, had locked eyes with yours along the way. Quickly, you took your gaze away from his and looked to the President as well, embarrassed for being caught by him.

"Now I think I've made 1st class suffer long enough." The president chuckled. "You may continue with what you were doing." He said to them, then started walking back to his office. "Oh," He turned around again, hands still held behind his back." Would a few of you 1st class be so kind as to show them where their rooms are?" They exchanged looks. You all turned to them and watched as Sephiroth, a man with black hair, and an auburn haired man, the one that you had been admiring about a minute ago, conversed amongst themselves. They seemed to be having a little arguement about something. A few seconds later, the guy with black hair turned to the President. "We will." The one with auburn hair showed slight annoyance, while Sephiroth remained calm. Though, his eyes did show a little bit of something, but it lasted for no more than a second before disappearing.

"Good." The president turned to the rest of you. "Congratulations 3rd Class." He smiled before turning around again and walked back to his office. The other 1sts, except the three who volunteered, walked away saying congratulations as well. All of you turned towards the three who stayed. "Okay everyone, I'm Angeal, this is Genesis, and I'm sure you all already know who Sephiroth is." Angeal said, motioning to each of them. And with that, they turned around, beginning to walk down the hall and you all followed them obediently.

The walk was very quiet and somewhat awkward, but about five minutes later you were at the dorms, looking around the lounge in the front. "You all get to have your own rooms by the way." Just as Angeal said that, the silence was broken with people cheering and saying stuff like, 'awesome' or 'cool' making Angeal chuckle. Some of you went into the dorm while a few watched the trio walk away, day dreaming about the day they'll become 1st class. You walked over to a body sized window and looked down.

_So this is what it looks like being about 40 or so floors high_... _cool!_ You placed a hand on the window as you watched over Midgar. The sky was filled with the usual dark clouds hanging overhead. Lowering your gaze, you finally took in how large the city was. _I never realized how big this place was... _you stared at Midgar for a while longer in silence. _What should I do now though?_ You closed your eyes, thinking for a moment before deciding that you'll look around a while until coming back to the dorm. Wondering what time it was, you lifted your arm up. 6:14. _Time to explore this place_, lips curving into a little smile, you ran out of the room and back into the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**I hope you like this chapter :] Enjoy and review?**

**Disclaimer: Other than Mekina, I own none of this. It rightfully belongs to Square Enix.**

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><p>Once you were out of the dorms, you explored the building for almost an hour, trying to get accustomed to where things were. Walking down another hall, you examined your surroundings and saw some stairs to the left. When you made it to the next floor, you scanned the hallway. Seeing no one was in sight, made you feel at ease... and then an idea came to you. "I wonder if I can find that training room again?" You murmured to yourself before going deep in thought, trying to remember the way to get there. When all of you were following the president around, he went to different floors so your mind was off big time at that part. Sighing, you looked down the hall in each direction. In the hall to your left, you saw some more stairs at the end of it.<p>

_I think it might be on the 47th floor somewhere?_ You looked on the walls and saw a sign on the other side of the hall. You got closer to read 44th floor. You went up several more flights of stairs, until you were on the 47th floor, and began to open random doors wide enough just to peek in them. Sometimes you came across locked doors though, which you just left alone before continuing on to the next room. _I've been looking for about fifteen minutes already! How many rooms does one floor have anyway?_ You went around a corner to check the other side, only to bump into someone and fall back from the hard impact. _Gaia, how hard is this person!? Ow..._

"Can't you watch where you're going?" Wincing up at the person, you saw that it was one of the men who showed you to your rooms. _What was his name again? Genesis?_ "Sorry..." You got up from the ground and quickly walking passed him, not wanting to converse with anyone for the time being. Genesis looked over his shoulder at you for a moment in thought. "Well you seem to be in a hurry... or could it be that you're lost?" He questioned turning to you fully with a tiny smirk playing on his lips. You glanced back at him. "That's none of your business... but no, I'm not lost." You felt a little intimidated from how he was watching you, and turned back around to continue walking.

"You know, that's no way to talk to a commander." When those words escaped from his lips, you paused, coming to a stop. _Oh no, how could I forget something like that at a time like this? _You turned to face him nervously. "Sorry, sir..." You apologized timidly, not liking the feeling of being alone with someone you hardly knew anything about. Especially an elite 1st class SOLDIER who was able to kill you in a matter of seconds if he really wanted to. Not that he would, of course. Just knowing that he was capable of such a thing was... frightening.

An involuntary shiver ran through your spine. Genesis examined you quietly. You wanted to continue your search, but you didn't want to disrespect him even further by just walking away again, and if you stayed, you may end up looking like an idiot by getting even more nervous. "Just don't let it happen again, cadet." You relaxed a bit. "Alrigh- I mean, yes, sir!" _Smooth..._ You got even more unneasy after that little mess up, cheeks flushing lightly. Genesis lifted an eyebrow at this, and you could have swore that you heard him chuckle as well.

"And actually... I kind of am looking for something." You told him before turning away, walking back down the hall. Yup, you decided to leave before embarrassing yourself again. But at least you gave him a heads up as to what you were doing though, right? Genesis raised an eyebrow at your words before going after you, knowing you'll most likely end up lost, if you already weren't, that is. He also knew that there could only be one reason for you to be on this high level floor, aside from the fact that the 3rds rooms were near.

"Are you looking for the training room?" You instantly stopped walking again and hesitantly looked at him over your shoulder. He smirked when he saw you stop moving. The SOLDIER walked passed you as if wanting you to follow him. Before doing so, you looked at your watch for a moment. 6:42 pm. Focusing on the commander again, you uncomfortably trailed after him for several minutes. "Here it is." Genesis said after you both went up two staircases and came to a stop in front of the training room door. He pulled out his keycard and slipped it through the machine. _Even if I did find it I wouldn't have been able to go in! And to top it all off, it was two floors higher than the one I was searching on... the 49th floor... I'll try to remember that_.

"Getting lost in thought is not a good trait for a SOLDIER to have." Genesis commented, standing inside waiting for you to come in. You didn't say anything and just went in. He pulled out his PHS and began pressing buttons making everything change again. You looked around in amazement, still not use to the whole virtual change. Both of you were now standing on a giant pipe with canyons behind you, and the pipe was attached to what appeared to be some kind of building. There was an ocean beneath you as well, and the sky had the most amazing sunset you had seen yet, you couldn't help but to stare in awe at all the colorful hues in the sky. It also seemed like every part of the ocean sparkled beneath the sun light... you were completely entranced.

"It's so beautiful..." You whispered silently in a daze. You went over to the edge of the pipe and gazed at the ocean while Genesis was a few feet behind you, watching your every move in light amusement. You sat down, dangling your legs over the edge before looking back up to the sunset. The atmosphere brought you into a peaceful comfort. Genesis walked over to you, watching the ocean glisten softly under the golden light. "This is the first time I've ever seen the ocean." You said quietly as Genesis sat a few feet away from you. "I was starting to think that, judging from your reaction." He glanced at you as you smiled, never taking your gaze away from the scenery.

"Your name is Mekina, correct?" You nodded your head before staying in a somewhat comfortable silence for a few minutes. At least until Genesis pulled a white leathered book out of his jacket to read. You turned your head and looked at him, then to the book curiously as he began to quote from it. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus and take to the sky. Ripples form on the waters surface. The wandering soul knows no rest." You stared at him as you took in his words. "What's that?" You leaned somewhat closer, trying to get a better look. "Loveless." He replied, turning to the next page.

"...What's Loveless about, sir?" His lips turned into a soft smile. "You'll have to read it to find out." He told you in a smooth voice, never taking his eyes away from the book. "...But what if I don't want to read it." You replied looking at him, slowly beginning to feel relaxed with him. "Then why are you asking me what it's about?" He questioned, lifting his head to look at the sunset. You shrugged your shoulders in a silent reply, returning your gaze to the sparkling water. He then looked at you from the corner of his eye. "Are you fourteen?" You instantly looked to him. "...I'm fifteen, not fourteen. I use to be last month though, sir." You said, leaning back with your hands behind you, holding you up. "I bet I can guess your age..." This made him turn his full attention to you.

"You're... twenty two?" He instantly responded, "Wrong, I'm-" You interrupted him with another guess, "Twenty three?" He rolled his eyes. "Twenty." You frowned. "Why did you tell me, sir?" You questioned. "Because you were only going to go higher." He said simply as he looked back at Loveless. You stared at him for a few seconds before looking back to the scenery. _This place is so beautiful... it's hard to believe this is just a simulation. _You tried to take in and memorize every detail from the pipe you sat on, the water beneath your feet, to the soft, colorful sky.

After several more minutes of silence, you closed your eyes and laid back against the pipe, listening to the waves for a while before opening them again, watching the clouds slowly pass by in the breeze. _If only Midgar had skies like this... _You both stayed in a partial silence that was occasionally broken by Genesis quoting Loveless, but you didn't really mind it. Now if he had sounded like Hojo, then you would have minded. Your face scrunched up as you imagined Hojo trying to speak in a poetic tone.

The two of you enjoyed the sound of the waves and the gentle breeze that blew against you both. Some time went by until Genesis put Loveless away and looked at his PHS. "...You should be in your room in fourteen minutes. It's 8:46." Slowly sitting up, your eyebrows lightly furrowed together. "I actually have a curfew?" With a sigh, you moved to stand. "Well, thanks for bringing me here, sir." You smiled at him. He nodded to you before standing up as well, and pressed buttons on his PHS making everything change back to normal.

Both of you walked out of the room and went down a couple of halls until he stopped outside your dorm. _Oh, gaia, I was so off earlier. _"Rest well, SOLDIER." You looked over to him, meeting his gaze, "Good night, sir." And with that, you quickly went down the hall as he turned and walked the opposite way. You looked at your watch, 8:52. _So the training room is only eight minutes away from the bedrooms. How can I not remember something like that? _Just then you remembered the wound on your back, shoulder, and stomach. _Or that... but it hasn't been hurting as much as it should be. Maybe when the mako was injected in me, it healed it? I think I might have heard some of the other 3rds talking about it too... _Not too long after that thought, you stepped foot into the dorm room.

You went over to a wall in the front that had a clip board hanging on it. It had your names and which rooms you were designated in on it. When you found your name, you went into the dorms hall and looked around for your number, 17. Going down the first hall, you counted the rooms you passed, eventually finding your room close to the end of the hall on the left, and went in. The room wasn't too big or too small... it was decent overall. It had a single bed, small tv with a mini couch, and two doors along the wall, which you guessed to be a closet and a bathroom.

The floor was covered in dark carpet and the walls were a pale, greyish blue. As you took in more of the room, you noted how an end table was next to the bed, and a small table rested in front of the couch. Seeing a uniform on the covers, you walked over to the foot of the bed and picked it up to examine for a moment before going over to one of the two doors. Opening the door, you looked around the bathroom and quietly nodded in approval as you pulled the door back, shutting the room. Moving on to the other door, you placed the uniform in the closet before closing the door.

When that was done, you walked over to the bed, pulled the covers back and kicked off your shoes before tossing yourself in, not even bothering, or caring, to change clothes. Squirming a little at how soft and cool to the touch the bed sheets were, you breathed in the clean scent of the bed, happily. You pulled the covers back around yourself, and shifted to your side, thinking about the events of the day as you slowly drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**I hate how when I transfer my things here, they look much shorter than I like them to be... and if I add more to it then they could get ruined. But other than that, I hope you like the story so far :)**

**Disclaimer: Other than Mekina, I own nothing. Everything else is rightfully owned by Square Enix.**

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><p>Once the woman was dealt with by the monsters, some of the creatures paused and sniffed the air, catching the scent of the baby. They then went over to the crate and began clawing at it, making the baby cry as it began to shake around, her only protection being the soft blanket wrapped around her. When the crate was just about to break open a monster was instantly shot. The creatures faced the door, growling at the group of five Shinra infantrymen and their captain. The troops fired more bullets upon them, killing the monsters with ease. The baby was still crying, and the captain of the group went over to the crate, opening it.<p>

"Poor kid..." The man moved to pick her up, and cradled her in an arm while murmuring soothing words to her, trying to hush her cries. Lowering his gaze, his eyes rested on the remains of the young woman. "What are we gonna do with the baby, sir?" Someone asked, peeking over his shoulder into his arms. "I'll take care of her until we get her a new family." He started walking out the door and looked at the mans corpse, frowning. He glanced down at the baby and examined her skin. _Looks like she was born not too long ago. Poor thing._ He walked out the house as the baby slowly fell back asleep.

...

With a frown, you woke up, and through tired eyes, you looked down to the necklace laying against the bed. It was a small, pretty turqouise crystal attached to a thin silver chain. After a while of just staying in place, you finally sat up, got out of bed, grabbed your uniform from the closet, and went in the bathroom to take a shower. You came out about ten minutes later drying your hair with a towel and put your normal clothes in the closet, glancing at the clock on the wall as you did so. _Twenty six minutes until breakfast starts, then training._ "I wonder if the food here is any good." You mumbled quietly to yourself as your stomach growled.

Reaching for your sword, you placed it on your back before looking on the small table when a keycard and a PHS caught your eye. A smile appeared on your face as you walked over to them. _Cool, I even get a phone!_ You slid them into a pocket before running out of the room, heading towards the cafeteria, but eventually came to realize something a few seconds later. _I don't even know where it is... _Luckily at the end of the hall leading to the lounge, there was a map. You went over to it and searched for the cafeteria for about a minute, and when it was found, left the dorms.

...

You stared at the blue and green stringy glob on your plate and poked it with a fork. It got stuck and slowly began to move along the utensil, attempting to cover it completely. With wide eyes, you dropped the fork onto your plate. "What in the..." You looked around. The few people who were already in there were eating it, and you slowly turned back around and stared at it, which made your stomach growl loudly. Furrowing your eyebrows, you picked up the fork again and grabbed a knife, cutting a small piece out of it before putting it in your mouth. _Well... It's kind of good._ You shoved some more in your mouth when you concluded that it was some kind of jello gone wrong.

**Training**

"Okay, everyone I want you to run around Shinra HQ ten times as a warm up." The 1st class, SOLDIER ordered the new recruits. "Sir, yes sir!" In about fifteen minutes all of you came back panting hard. "Stand straight, SOLDIER's!" He yelled, getting ready to tell you what to do next. "Sir, yes sir!" Everyone exclaimed. "Push ups, now!" Everyone got into position. "Up! Down! Up! Down!" Your instructor repeated for the next several minutes. _This is going to be a long day if I'm having trouble with just warm ups... but I can do this! _You urged yourself, quickening your pace when he began to say it faster.

**End of Training**

After returning to your room and collapsing on your bed, you glanced at the clock. _Three hours and fifty two minutes of freedom, and I'm too tired to move..._ Adjusting your position, you rolled on your stomach and stayed still for few minutes until you decided to slowly get up. Walking to your closet, you pulled out the only clothes you came to Shinra with and went into the bathroom. Placing the clothes on the counter, you turned on the water for a bath then started taking your uniform off. Once that was done, you sat along the side of the tub and stuck a hand in the water, checking the warmth as it continued to fill up. Seeing as it wasn't even half way yet, and you had nothing much else to do at the moment, you looked yourself over.

Standing up, you faced the mirror hanging over the sink and slowly spun around as you watched the mirror, finding a couple of bruises on your legs, arms, and back from training. Gaze lifting to your face, you stared into your new mako infused eyes. Stepping a little closer to the mirror, you reached a hand up to your face, surprised at the color and soft glow your eyes were giving out. "Wow..." Still looking in the mirror, you looked to the bath, realizing it was almost to the top and stopped it. Slowly getting in and leaning your head against the tub, your eyes closed, just letting your body soak for a moment. With a sigh you went underwater to get the dirt in your hair out before rising back up.

You stayed in there for some time before getting out the water and pulling the plug out. After drying off and putting your clothes on, you sat on the bed, thinking about what to do now. _Hmm... Oh! I could always go to the training room again_. Grabbing your keycard, PHS, and sword, you left the room. Passing through the dorm halls and lounge, you finally made it to the main halls of the SOLDIER floor. After going down a few halls, you heard a familliar voice from behind you. Looking over your shoulder you saw Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth walking your way. It seemed like Angeal was scolding them, and the only thing you heard was, "Don't get carried away like last time." When Genesis was about to respond, he caught sight of you.

"Hello, rookie." He nodded to you as you smiled at him. Sephiroth and Angeal looked from you, to him, then back to you again. "You remember these two from yesterday I assume, so I won't say names." Genesis said, lifting an arm to Sephiroth and Angeal. "Nice to meet you... Mekina, right?" Angeal held out a hand. "Yeah, nice to meet you too, sir." You said, taking his hand. Angeal chuckled. "You can just call me Angeal. At least when training isn't in session." He gave your hand a firm shake before pulling back. "Yes, si- I mean, Angeal." You recovered, inwardly hitting yourself in the head, for the yes sir's were already getting drilled into you from your first day of training.

As if sensing your nervousness, he rested a hand on your head with a small smile. This action seemed to calm you somewhat. Sephiroth stared at you, looking as if he was thinking something over for a short moment. "Would you like to train with us?" Sephiroth asked making both Angeal and Genesis look at him. You looked up at him, clearly suprised at the question, but tried to stay calm on the outside as you thought about it. All of you were planning to go to the same place, so why not? "Sure..." You answered, heart rate getting faster by the second. _But why would he ask me of all people that?_ Sephiroth began walking down the hall and you moved to walk next to him as the other two 1sts just stood there for a few seconds, exchanging questioning looks before following as well. It turned out that Sephiroth wanted to observe your abilities more closely.


	6. Chapter 6

**Enjoy and review if you want to. I'd like to hear your thoughts and constructive criticiscm is also appreciated. :]**

**Disclaimer: Other than Mekina, I own nothing.**

Sephiroth took out his keycard and slid it through the control panel before walking in. When the four of you were in, the doors closed behind you. He took out his phone and pressed buttons, making everything change to the place with the pipe and sunset again. "I'm sure I can handle all of you at once." Genesis smirked, taking out his rapier. "We shall see about that, Genesis." Sephiroth pulled out masamune, smirking as well. Angeal and you did the same.

Then, Angeal and Sephiroth darted towards Genesis, but he moved to the side missing their blades. You then charged to him, sword at your side and attempted to slash at him, but he blocked it. "If you hold back, you could get hurt. Or worse..." He spoke loud enough for only you to hear. He raised his other hand as it began glowing red, making your eyes widen in fear before quickly jumping into the air just as his hand shot fire out where you use to be.

Flipping over his head, you safely landed behind him as Sephiroth came in front of him like a blur and brought his sword down on the red SOLDIER. Genesis quickly brought his rapier above his head, blade locking with Sephiroth. Both of them jumped back just as Angeal dropped down where they use to be, and landed crouched, his sword embedding into the ground from the force he used.

Then he quickly got up and ran toward Genesis slashing diagonally. He jumped over him doing a flip, and slashing his sword at him from behind. Angeal dodged, as Genesis landed gracefully on the ground. _Wow... they're so good. I could seriosly ge-_ your thoughts were interrupted when you saw Genesis jumping towards you. You held your sword in front of you, blocking his attack. "You're going to get yourself killed if you keep getting lost in thought, Mekina." He told you.

You furrowed your eyebrows at his words before kicking him in the side making him take a few steps back. This caught him off guard. Apparently, he had underestimated you a little too much. His eyes narrowed and he rushed towards you. You swiftly twirled out of the way and brought your sword to his back. Seeing this move before it made contact, he kneeled down, missing your sword. He moved his rapier upwards, ready to strike your head, but you lowered your sword down with a hand on the flat side of the blade.

You winced from the contact. He was stronger than you, of course, and was obviously holding back most of his strength. You used all of your arm strength to push the sword down before jumping backwards, happy that you got out of that position. Genesis ran towards you, and the two of you began clashing and parlaying with one another. Angeal ran behind him and tried to slash his back, but Genesis evaded, casting fire at you both. You two jumped out of the way, avoiding his magic by a good couple of inches. Sephiroth moved towards him, and their swords went into a flurry of strikes for a long moment, and after a while Genesis went flying backwards into the pipe, creating a dent.

"Looks like we win, Genesis." Sephiroth smirked. Genesis rose to his feet with a scoff. "...My turn." Sephiroth's smirk increased. Genesis and Angeal jumped towards him and Sephiroth blocked them both with ease. They stayed in that position for a few seconds before moving back. You ran behind Sephiroth and swung your sword at his shoulder, but before it could even make contact he turned around and blocked you. He moved his sword slightly side ways, aiming for your head, but you ducked low. He then brought his sword down on you.

Worry filled your eyes for a moment before you brought your sword above you so your sword met with his masamune. _My arms are getting weak from his attacks_... your arm slightly shook under his pressure. He swiftly moved his sword and aimed for your side and you positioned your sword upwards and stuck it out to the side a bit to block his attack. Though, once your blades made contact, you went flying backwards with a surprised gasp. You tried to recover by doing a back flip, but failed, and landed on a knee, all the while, still sliding backwards painfully. Tightly shutting your eyes from the collision, you knew you had badly injured your knee. Opening your eyes, watched as Angeal and Sephiroth's swords clashing.

Sephiroth brought his sword tip to the ground and swung at Angeal's feet. Avoiding the attack, Angeal jumped over Sephiroth, swinging for the his head along the way. Sephiroth swiftly blocked it and pushed Angeal back so he was now flying backwards, and unlike you, he successfully did a back flip before landing gracefully in a crouching position. Genesis rushed towards Sephiroth, making their swords parlay. They both jumped back then ran towards each other again, clashing swords, and Sephiroth sent him backwards a few feet. Genesis raised his sword and slid a hand along it making it glow bright red.

He then attacked Sephiroth once more, bringing his rapier above his head then downward upon him. Sephiroth rose masamune, blocking the blow, and once they made contact with each other, sparks came out, and the ground beneath Sephiroth's feet had a dent. The SOLDIER pushed Genesis back and sent him flying backwards, which he soon recovered from with a back flip. "I win." Sephiroth declared and Genesis sighed in annoyance. Sephiroth then turned and looked at you. "You don't need to hold back, Mekina." Sephiroth said while calmly walking over to you. "I know..." He knelt down in front of you.

"Why even bother holding back? It's not like you can actually hurt us." You narrowed your eyes at Genesis' words, not really knowing what to say since you knew he was right. And because he was a higher rank then you, you couldn't really say much. "Says the one that got kicked." Sephiroth glanced at Genesis. "It didn't hurt. And I was holding back..." Angeal quickly intervened. "Alright, that's enough." Angeal walked over to you. "You put up a good fight for a 3rd class. I think you can make it to 2nd in no time." He gave you a warm smile. "Thanks, Angeal." You smiled back up at him.

Sephiroth stood up and leaned against another pipe, staring at the sky while Genesis walked over and sat on it, opening LOVELESS. "Can you stand?" Angeal asked when he noticed you still hadn't moved. "I don't know yet." You replied while scratching the back of your head smiling nervously. He kneeled in front of you and examined you. You stood up slowly, knee stinging when the cold air pressed against it, causing you to wince and take in a sharp breath. He stared at your leg as blood began running down it. He lifted your pant leg up a little, examining the scrape covering your whole knee.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, concerned. His tone of voice made Sephiroth and Genesis look at you both. "Yeah, it's just a flesh wound." You said quietly so he could only hear. "Oh, really?" He stood up, "Try to walk." You looked at him for a moment and slowly nodded your head. The first two steps you took, you instantly fell. Good thing Angeal was next to you though cause he caught you. "We need to take her to get her knee treated." Angeal said standing up.

"No, I'm fine, really." You said trying to stand up on your own, legs shaking slightly. "No, you're not." Genesis muttered, glancing at your bloody leg when he came over to you. "If we don't get you treated it could get infected." Angeal added as he held onto your shoulders, keeping you steady. You let out a sigh in silent defeat as Sephiroth took out his PHS, returning everything back to the Shinra room. Then you all went out the room and down the hall to Hojo's lab.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina... but if I did own Square Enix, then there would be a game continuing from where Dirge of Cerberus left off. I wanna know what happens to Genesis already! D: Ahem... anyways, I hope you like this chapter. ^^**

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><p>As you all walked to the lab, you couldn't help but laugh even though you were in pain. "What's so funny?" Angeal gave you a curious look. "Look down." Genesis and Angeal both looked down and realizing you were about one to two feet off the ground. "Well, that explains a lot... no wonder you're so heavy." Genesis teased. "I'm not heavy!" You said as they put you down, finally noticing how short you were. You were a few inches below there shoulders.<p>

"And you're short." He added with a light smirk. You rolled your eyes. "Alright, since you think she's so heavy and short then I'll let you have the honor of carrying her." Angeal crossed his arms, chuckling a bit. "Aww... bu-" Angeal quickly interrupted you. "No buts!" You stayed silent for a moment before attempting to walk in a little circle, but failed and fell on your face making them laugh. You frowned slightly, before sitting up and crossing your arms. "See? Now let him carry you." Angeal said, smiling.

Genesis sighed. "Just... think of it as training." Sephiroth told him. He didn't reply and just went in front of you and kneeled down so you could get on. Little did you know Sephiroth was behind you and picked you up underneath your arms since you were hesitating. Your eyes slightly widened when he placed you on Genesis' back. "...I feel like a kid now." You said, gingerly wrapping your arms around Genesis' neck as he slipped his arms around your legs, standing up. "Because you are." Sephiroth said, making you frown as the four of you continued walking to Hojo's lab again.

...

Angeal knocked on the metal door and the same annoyingly shrill voice responded from the other side, "Who is it and what do you want!" Hearing professor Hojo's voice made your frown deepen. "It's Angeal. I need you to heal someone." He calmly replied as the door opened and Hojo quickly went back over to a test tube, finishing his notes. You all walked in and Genesis set you down. Once Hojo was done he examined each of you, but stopped when his gaze landed on you.

"She's hurt already? Why doesn't that surprise me." Hojo sneered while walking over to a table and placed his notes on it. You sighed silently when you saw the twisted grin on his face while he looked at you. _This guy is really starting to creep me out... _you thought, nervously. "Come here, girl. The rest of you can wait in the hall." He said, looking at them. Angeal and Genesis hesitated for a few seconds before leaving. Sephiroth just stood there not even moving. "I'm not leaving." Sephiroth leaned against the wall by the door. Hojo and him stared at each other for a few seconds. "...Fine. Just don't touch anything." He told him. You looked from Hojo to Sephiroth then back to Hojo when he snapped at you.

"Well, are you coming or not!?" This made you jump in surprise and you staggered towards him as Sephiroth glared at Hojo. "Get up there." Hojo said, ignoring Sephiroth as he motioned to the table. You obeyed and he walked forward, examining your knee. "Hmm..." He pulled up your pant leg a little more making a chill run through you. He smirked when he noticed this and turned around to his desk, grabbed a syringe from the drawer, then walked over to the mako tank. When it was filled he turned back to you with a smirk. You stared at the syringe, slowly getting off the table.

_I thought I only had to get one injection to join, but now I have to when I get hurt? ...This isn't worth it_, you began to move for the door. Sephiroth looked at you, then to Hojo, and before he knew it, you quickly ran to the door yelling, "You'll never get me!" leaving both of them shocked that you could even move with a wound like that. Hojo started chasing after you, "Come back here, girl!" You opened the door and saw Genesis and Angeal leaning against the wall with questioning looks at your hastiness.

You painfully ran past them with an angry Hojo chasing after you screaming incoherent gibberish. "...What just happened?" Angeal asked as he slowly got up off the wall. Sephiroth walked out of the lab and glanced in the direction you both ran off to. "She didn't want to get a shot..." The second Genesis heard that he let out a laugh, "So she's alright after all." Angeal looked down, noticing the small trail of blood. "Come on." Angeal said, following the trail after you both.

...

_Ugh... I've been running for almost a minute now and he's still after me? Why doesn't he just give up already? _You glanced down at your knee. _Losing too much blood..._ "You're really starting to annoy me! I can't believe a girl like you made it into SOLDIER!" His words made your blood boil. "Will you just shut up! Isn't there another way to get healed than these shots?" You looked back at him over your shoulder as you ran. "Hmm... yes, there is, but it will take at least a day since it's slower!" He replied, panting lightly. You stared at him for a few seconds before slowing your pace and facing him. "Is it more or less painful than this?"

"Less. Now come, you've wasted enough of my time already!" Your eyes narrowed slightly. "...You had a choice to chase me or not, and you chose to. You didn't have to." He made an irritated noise and started walking back to the lab with you slowly following him. You saw Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal coming down the hall, and they stopped a few feet away from Hojo as he passed by them. Then you went by them, a couple of feet behind the scientist and silently passed by the trio. The walk to the lab was an awkward silencem and once you got back, Hojo walked over to a tube and pressed buttons, making it open after a few seconds. "It will be a little faster if your clothes are off." Hojo told you. "No, you pervert!" You glared at him. "Just get in!" You slowly complied.

Once you entered, the door instantly closed, and the tube started to fill up with mako. _Is this gonna go all the way up? _Warily, you stared at the rising liquid. When the mako got to your knees it began stinging your wound, and you winced while biting your lip as the pain lingered. "Hey Hojo, is this gonna go all the way to the top?" He looked up at you from the controls, nodding his head. "Yes, it is." Your eyes widened in fear, and you looked back down at the mako that was now up to your thighs. Hojo snickered at your actions and you looked up at him once again through narrowed eyes.

Soon, it was up to your waist and you were getting very nervous. The pain also became worse but not as bad as the shot. He pressed more buttons and the mako started filling up faster, and within two minutes, it was up to your shoulders, and eventually your chin. You didn't know how to swim, so you just stood there helplessly and after another minute you held in a big breath of air as the water quickly went over your head. You closed your eyes tightly since the mako burned them at first.

One or two more minutes passed, and now you were starting to get dizzy. _I can't hold my breath much longer_, you started hitting the glass hard. This made him laugh. "You'll be fine. Now stop hitting the glass!" He exclaimed, angrily pressing more buttons. _I can't hold it in any longer... _you slowly breathed in the mako, expecting to die. _Huh...? I can breath this stuff? _Hojo began to press more buttons, and your eyes became heavy. _What the...? _You began fighting the sleep for several minutes and eventually lost, losing consciousness against your will.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. Enjoy :)**

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><p>Once the SOLDIER captain took you away from the town, he and his group all returned to HQ. <em>I wonder if President Shinra will let me keep her for a while, my wife could take care of her, and she always wanted a child! That could work out just fine. <em>A warm smile grew on the captains face from that thought. When they arrived at HQ he went to the President's office. He knocked on the door until he heard a voice say 'Come in' before doing so, then quietly closed it behind him so he wouldn't wake the newborn.

The president was writing paperwork, so he didn't look at him yet. "So how did the mission go?" He asked, still not looking up as the man walked up to his large desk near the far side of the room. "Not good, sir... by the time we got there almost everyone was dead... this girl is one of the survivor's." He said making the president look up at him. "Looks like she was just born..." President Shinra said as went over to him, inspecting the child. "Sir, I was wondering if my wife and I could take care of her...?" The captain asked. The President closed his eyes for a few seconds in thought. "My wife always wanted a baby." He said silently as the President looked back up at him.

"Alright. When she grows up she can be a turk, or maybe even in SOLDIER. We'll have to keep tabs on her, of course." He said, thoughtfully. "Thank you, sir!" The captain said with a big smile. "Do I have anymore missions today, sir?" Shinra nodded. "Yes, only one." He then walked back over to his paper work. "What is it?" He sat back down, no longer looking at the captain anymore, and picked up his pen. "Take her to your home unharmed." The President ordered making the captain's smile widen. "Yes, sir!" Then he quickly ran out the room.

...

Hesitantly, you opened your eyes. _Why do I keep having these dreams? _After that thought, you blinked a couple of times, trying to get use to the mako in them. Furrowing your eyebrows, you then remembered where you were, and looked around the room from the tube. _How long have I been in here? _You looked for a clock on the walls and eventually found one above a bookcase. It read, 2:42 am. You looked down at your knee and saw that only half of it was healed. _This is going to take forever... _you closed your eyes in annoyance.

**Three Hours Later**

You let out a sigh, but it only came out as a gurgle noise, and bubbles floated to the top of the tube. Looking down to your knee once more, you discovered that it was almost completely healed. You heard the door to the lab open, and saw Hojo walk in, completely oblivious of your awakening. He walked over to another tube, and tapped it, making something inside move. Whatever was inside then began to growl while clawing at the glass.

"Hmm... this specimen is testing my patience." He mumbled to himself as it started snarling at him. He turned away, grabbing his clip board and wrote things down. You couldn't clearly see the 'specimen', but you could tell it was kind of small. When he was done writing, he went over and started pressing buttons, making smoke fill the tube and the growling suddenly stopped followed by a small thud. Then the smoke dissapeared, and you saw it's silhouette on the ground.

Hojo started chuckling. "That should keep you quiet for a bit." He said as he went over, writing more things down. You glared at his back then looked over to the thing on the ground, you could completely see it now since he moved. It looked like a wolf cub, but it was a silverish blue color. _Poor thing... _you thought, staring at it. You looked down at your knee again, and there were only small scratches left, _Maybe twenty more minutes until it's gone._ Looking up at the clock, you began to countdown.

**Thirty Minutes Later**

Only one or two small scratches were left._ I'll just let them heal on their own, I just wanna get out of here, _You turned your head looking at the creature Hojo had knocked out earlier. _I'll try to help it... if I can_. You then knocked lightly on the tube, making Hojo quickly turn to you. "Ah, I forgot you were here." He said as he went over and looked at your knee. "I guess you can come out now." He said as he pressed more buttons, making the mako start to slowly go down. Once it all was gone, the door opened and you had slight problems breathing, but eventually the feeling went away.

"It's 8:42 am, now go to training!" He said before walking away, leaving you to stumble out of the tube and go to the door. You passed the tube with the small creature in it, and turned your head looking at it as it laid on its side. It weakly looked up at you with sad eyes, and you stared back at it, then put a hand on the tube, with a small smile as if to say 'I'll come back for you'. You slowly took your hand away and went out the room. When you went in the hall, you started running to your room to change your clothes to the SOLDIER uniform. Quickly, you ran in and grabbed the clothes and changed, then went to training. When you got there, you went over to the 3rd class Captain, "Sorry, I'm late sir..." You said panting a bit.

"It's alright, rookie. I heard you got hurt training with a couple of 1st class, so I'll let this slide." He said. "Thank you, sir!" You smiled. "Now go with the others, today we're improving with swords." He . "Sir, yes sir!" You saluted him then went to get a partner. Once you partnered up, you both unsheathed your swords and got in a battle stance. "Now, I want you to switch partners every 5 minutes!" The instructor yelled, "Now...Begin!" He exclaimed as he started the timer, and instantly the sound of metal against metal was heard all throughout the area.

You and your partner ran towards each other. You brought your sword above your head, aiming for his head, buthe quickly blocked it pushing you back. He ran towards you slashing his sword to your side, but you quickly turned your sword to block it. You both stayed in that position for a few seconds, before jumping back. He swung his sword to your head and you dropped to the ground dodging the attack. swinging your sword to his legs, making him jump over it. Then he brought his sword down, but you jump rolled out of the way. You quickly got up and rushed towards him, aiming for his side, but he moved away. "Switch!" You all heard the instructor yell. Before you both switched, you both said at the same time "Nice fight" and exchanged a smile, then quickly got a new partner.

Once you got your new partner, you all waited until you could begin. "Now!" The instructor yelled, and your opponent instantly ran to you with his sword in a jabbing position. Raising your arm high, you stepped to the side while tilting your sword tip downward and pushed his sword to the side. He swung his sword to your side, you moved back barely missing it as it hit the air in front of you instead, then you ran up to him, swinging your sword at him, but he blocked. You pushed his sword away and attempted to slash at his chest, but he swiftly blocked before you both shot back from the other.

"You're pretty good." He smirked and you grinned. "You are too." Then both of you just stood there staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. At the same time, you both rushed forward, and your swords clashed with such force that both of you went flying backwards. You both recovered landing safely on the ground before running back to each other and started slashing and dodging the other's attacks. "Switch!" The instructor, called out again. You both smiled at each other one last time, before switching.

**After Training**

You looked at your PHS, 3:26 pm. _At least the instructor let us out early today._ You wiped away the little beads of sweat on your forehead. "What to do now.." You wondered aloud. _I could try to think of a way to let the wolf out, but it'll be too hard to do that with Hojo always in there... I'll have to do it really early if I actually go through with it. _You sighed. _Maybe I should just let it be..._ As you turned a corner, you accidently ran into someone and fell down just like two days earlier. "Oww..." You looked up and saw a boy with spiky black hair.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!" He bent over and stretched out a hand for you to take. "Here, let me help you." He warmly smiled at you. You smiled back, taking his hand. "Thanks." You said, regaining your posture as he pulled you to your feet. "No problem! By the way, I'm Zack, 2nd Class, SOLDIER!" His smile seemed to increase as he said that. "I'm Mekina." _Well he's really friendly._ "Hmm... are you new here?" Zack asked as you nodded to him, then grinned. "3rd class, SOLDIER."

"No wonder I've never seen you before..."Zack said, thinking for a moment. "Well I can show you around then!" He declared. Before you had a chance to reply, he dragged you down the hall by your hand. "I guess we can start by you telling me what places you already know how to get to?" You blinked at him as he pulled you along. "Umm... I only know how to get to the dorm, cafeteria, Hojo's lab, and the virtual room..." He made somewhat of a face when you mentioned the labs, "At least you got the basic stuff down. I'll show you where a lot of cool places are." Zack said, slowing to a walk. "Where all the break rooms are, the gym, the... hey, did you know there's a gift shop on the 2nd floor?"

"No, but I should have expected as much from Shinra." You answered with an amused smile. "What do they sell?" Zack let go of your hand as you walked next to him. "Oh, nothing that great. Just cups, pens, and shirts with the Shinra logo on it... and et cetera. Bo-oring." You snickered. "So what other places are there?" You asked curiously. Once he was done giving you a tour, his PHS beeped. "Hello? ...Oh, okay. I'll be there in a bit." He said as he put it back into his pocket, then looked down at you. "I gotta go on a mission." Zack said making you frown. "I see... when will you be back?"

He stood there looking like he's thinking for about a minute, before saying. "I know! Maybe you can come with me!" You looked up at him. "Really?" He nodded his head eagerly. "We'll have to ask the Director though... you haven't met him yet, have you?" He questioned. "Not yet." You said, shaking your head. "Well come on, let's go!" He said running down the hall motioning for you to follow. "Hey! Wait up, Zack!" You yelled running after him.

**The Director's Office**

Once you got to the office you both saw Angeal waiting. "Hey Angeal!" Zack said smiling. "Hey." Angeal said before looking down at you. "Mekina?" Zack quickly answered what he was about to ask. "I was wondering if it was okay if she could come." The Director looked at Zack, then turned his gaze to you, "...You're a new recruit, correct?" The Director asked as you give a small nod. He put a hand under his chin, thinking for a moment, "Well... I guess it couldn't hurt. Besides, this will be good training for you." Zack jumped up and down happily. "Yes!" You laughed at his reaction, making him smile at you.

"Alright, you three need to secure the village of Katsuno from monsters that have been recently attacking it, they usually attack by nightfall. I want you to get there as soon as possible. Once you have everything packed, we have a helicopter waiting for you in the front." The Director explained. "Okay Director. Later!" Zack said as he waved and walked out the room following Angeal with you close behind.

It only took you a couple of minutes to get back to your room, and when you did, you just took a bag and put a back up 3rd class uniform in it. Thinking for a moment, you also took your tooth paste and brush as well, then left the room quickly. _I'm so nervous, this is my first mission! Good thing it doesn't seem to be too difficult, but still... ah, I'm just worrying too much... _When you finally came to the front of HQ, Zack jumped in the helicopter, followed by Angeal, then you.

Buckling yourself in, you timidly glanced out the window. This was the first time you were in a helicopter as well. Angeal noticed you were uneasy, and put a comforting hand on your shoulder, "It's not so bad once you get use to it." He reassured you, and you weren't sure whether he meant the helicopter ride, or the mission, but you gave him your thanks nonetheless with a small smile. Lifting from the ground, the helicopter took off, heading for the little town of Katsuno.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Square Enix/Soft owns everything, but Mekina... I hope you're enjoying the story so far :]**

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><p>"We should get there in about two hours," Angeal said as he crossed his arms, closing his eyes. "There are two gates in the village so we'll have to split in two groups." You exchanged a look with Zack. "So... who's going with who?" Zack asked curiously. "I'll guard the South gate while you two guard the North gate." Angeal answered, opening his eyes. You stiffly nodded as you stared out the helicopter window. "Relax, Mekina! Nothing bad will happen as long as you're with me!" Zack said smiling reassuringly at you. "Alright." You chuckled a little before looking back out the window, getting lost in your thoughts.<p>

...

"We have at least one more hour until it's night." Angeal glancing at his PHS when the three of you arrived at your destination. "I'll see you two later. Don't get separated." Angeal smiled at you both before walking to the other side of the village to the South gate. You turned around and gazed at the setting sun. "Pretty, huh?" Zack said, leaning against the gate, gazing at it too, "Yeah..." You said as you sat on the ground. The longer you watched the sun, the more your nervousness went away becoming replaced by a calm feeling. You never knew why, but watching the sky always managed calmed you down.

"Hey, Zack?" You said never turning from the sky. "Yeah?" He glanced at you. "Where do you live?" You questioned. "Gongaga!" He replied with a grin and you tried to hold back a laugh. "Hey, what's so funny!" You stopped after a while and looked at him, "Sorry, the name sounds funny." You said, still chuckling somewhat. "Does not!" He frowned. You said nothing, only laughing again. His frown deepened, but it only lasted for a few seconds. "Where are you from?" You turn to the sun again. "I don't really have a home." You replied, silently. "You don't?" He asked quietly. You lightly shook your head. "I had an apartment for a while, but it was only temporary."

"You're too young to be without a home... what about your parents?" You slowly looked down at his question. "They're gone." Zack stared at you, "Gone as in they're still alive, but away...?" He slowly questioned, wondering if he should have asked. You shook your head again. His eyes softened at this. "I'm sorry to hear that, Mekina... do you know how they died though? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He said, looking up at the sky. Quietly, you pondered over his words. _I only knew him for a day and I feel like I can trust him... he seems like a really nice person_... You stayed silent for a while longer before speaking. You decided to tell him everything.

"Yeah, I know how they died... this will be somewhat long." Zack patiently waited as you gathered your words together. "When my mom was giving birth to me the village was attacked by monsters. By the time they got to our side of town, I was already born, and my dad locked us in a room to protect us while he tried to fight them off. Once he left, my mom hid me in a crate and gave me this necklace." You reached a hand up, showing him your necklace. "She wrote me a note though - about the necklace..." _Which I still don't understand... _Grasping the small crystal firmly, you continued.

"The door broke down eventually, and the monsters killed her almost instantly... They caught my scent and started opening the crate, but then Shinra SOLDIER's came and killed them before they could even touch me." You looked up to the sky again, "The captain of the group was there, and he took me to President Shinra. He asked him if he and his wife could take care of me... the president let him and he took me to his village. After four years of living there, my adoptive father died on a mission, and my adoptive mother had developed an illness not too long after. And a few months later, she died." By now you were gazing at the sky intently.

"I didn't know what to do. I was alone... so I ran away. Ever since that day, I never had a true home. I went from town to town, having to steal so I could survive, and because of that, I was sometimes abused by the people I stole from at times if I was caught. So I started to train to defend myself, and around that time that's when I heard of SOLDIER. I instantly wanted to join and I trained myself for four years. And here I am." You said still staring at the now slightly darkend sky.

Zack took in your words for about a minute before standing up, walking over to you, and crouching down beside you. "You're way too young to have gone through all of that." He placed a comforting hand on your head. You frowned slightly. Zack looked to you in silent question. "I thought if I said everything, I wouldn't have this feeling anymore." You said under your breath. Zack sighed, understanding, before pulling you into a hug. You just sat in shock. _It's been a while since I've been hugged..._ your vision began to blur a bit and you wrapped your arms around him, returning the embrace.

_I'm not gonna cry... i'm not gonn- aww man, I can't hold it. A _stray tear fell down your cheek and you quickly shut your eyes trying to stop. "It's okay to cry." Zack said softly. You shook your head, "I don't know if i'll be able to stop." You said as another tear rolled down your cheek. Zack patted your back gently. "It'll make you feel better if you let it out. It's not good if you keep everything held inside." Once he said that, you opened your eyes and looked up at the sky again as your chin rested against his shoulder. After several minutes of still trying to hold it in, you eventually gave in, letting more tears roll down your cheeks.

You both stayed like that for a few more minutes until Zack spoke. "The sun's almost down." He murmured silently as he slowly pulled away from you, both moving to stand. "Zack...?" You looked up at him and he looked down at your tear stained face. "Thank you." You said, quickly trying to wipe the tears away with the back of your hand. "Don't mention it." He smiled at you, resting his hand on your head, "Do you feel a little better now?" He asked. "Kind of." He sighed softly. "Well if you ever need anything, or wanna talk, just tell me, alright?" He ruffled up your hair. "Hey!" You exclaimed, quickly moving away to fix your hair with a small grin. He laughed.

"Alright, I think we should get back to guarding now." You replied with a nod, still fixing your hair as you both leaned against the gate, waiting. You wiped your face again to make sure there were no more traces of tears. Almost ten minutes had passed until you both heard a growl coming from a bush, and you both took out your swords waiting for it to show itself. The sound of growling stopped, and whatever made the noise stepped out of the bush. It was a blackish color and many more came out from behind it, they had scales on almost every part of there body, claws, and red eyes. Some had wings while others had tails. "They've surrounded us." Zack said looking around. You looked around too and became slightly nervous again. Zack noticed. "Don't worry, you'll be fine as long as you stick with me." You nodded to him. _This is it..._

They jumped/flew towards you both and Zack and you jumped over the ones in front of you so they would hit each other. But it didn't work so well, for the ones with wings quickly turned around and started flying towards you two. You swung your sword to the side and brought it up, slicing one in half, and Zack spun his sword around his head, cutting another apart. One shot fire at you, and you moved to the side, stabbing another in the stomach along the way. Zack jumped towards one, bringing his sword above his head pointing downward, impaling one. Another quickly jumped towards him breathing fire, but he quickly dodged and kicked it in the face, sending it into a tree. You two ran towards each other, getting back to back as you were surrounded again.

They all shot fire at you at the same time and you both jumped high in the air making the fire hit the ones in front of them instead of you two, but the fire didn't effect them. Of course. You both land on the ground and they all rushed towards you two just as you charged at them with your sword hanging low. Successfully, you cut open one of their backs and zack started casting ice upon them, temporarily freezing them before bringing his sword through them, breaking them into pieces. "Well that was easy!" Zack smirked. "Too easy." You added, looking around the vacinity. "I think that was all of them." Zack said crossing his arms while leaning against the gate. "I think so too. I wonder how Angeal's doing?" You silently pondered aloud as you looked to the darkened sky, putting your sword at rest on your back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina, Rina, and Kumiko... **

**Enjoy...**

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><p>The rest of the night was peaceful and quiet. You looked at your PHS to see what time it was. 11:34 pm. You both had been on guard for about 4 hours now. "So tired..." Zack said, tiredly. "You should go to sleep, I'll keep watch." You crossed your arms. "Nah, you should sleep, I can handle it!" He grinned. "But you're tired, so let me do it!" You glanced at him as he shook his head. "No, I'm not, you are!" You sighed with a half smile. "Well then I guess we both stay up then." You closed your eyes. "I'm okay with that." He said with a small yawn.<p>

The past fifteen minutes were very silent as you both tried to stay awake, and your mind drifted back to the conversation you had with Zack earlier. You then began to wonder what life would be like if your family was still alive. _I probably wouldn't be in SOLDIER. No Zack or Angeal... no fighting. And that's actually one of the few things in life I'm somewhat good at... I wonder how I would've turned out if they were still here? _Opening your eyes, you now gazed up at the moonlit starry sky and pulled your legs up to your chest, crossed your arms before resting your head on them.

You heard light snoring coming from your right, making you tilt your head, resting it sideways while looking at Zack. He had his head back against the wall with one arm draped over a leg while the other was stretched out. Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard footsteps, and you quickly got up, taking your sword off your back before moving to stand in front of Zack. You crouched down, patting his arm, waking him. "Huh? What happened?" He asked groggily.

"Someone's coming..." Once you said that a figure came out of the bushes. "Don't worry, it's just me." Angeal stepped out into the moonlight, and you let out a relieved sigh, placing your sword on your back again. "Hey, Angeal! What are you doing here?" Zack asked, standing up and rubbing his eyes. "Well I'm here to tell you we finished our mission," Angeal then smirked. "Unless you want to stay and guard all night?" You both quickly looked at him, shaking your heads. "Good. The helicopters should be here in ten minutes." He told you both. "Wait, how are they sure that they wont be attacked anymore?" You asked, curiously.

"Well, people were still awake and they heard us fighting. Once they were sure all of them were dead, the chief of the town sent three of his scouts to check around the surrounding areas for more, and they didn't find anything." Angeal replied, "Ah, okay." Zack placed his arms behind his head. "Do you think I'm good enough to be 1st now?" Zack asked grinning at Angeal. "Not yet, but you will be soon." He said, chuckling, making Zack pout. You let out a small giggle at this. "Hey! That's not funny!" He said pouting even more, making you laugh again.

When the helicopter came, all of you got in. "How long until we get there?" You asked the pilot, "In maybe three or four hours." He replied, looking at you through the mirror and smirked a bit. He had red hair with some strands sticking up and around his face, goggles, and a red tattoo on both of his cheek bones. You nodded to him then looked over to the man sitting next to him. He was bald and had sunglasses on along with a beard and mustache. He turned around and looked at the three of you. "We will be arriving there at four." Then the man directed his words to you. "You'll only have three hours to rest once we get there until your training starts, rookie." You looked at him with a small frown.

"Is it really that obvious that I'm a 3rd class?" He gave you a nod. "Yeah, it's reaaally obvious!" The red head chuckled, "No, it's not!" You crossed your arms. "Haha! That's what you get for laughing at me earlier!" Angeal and the bald guy watched as you punched Zack's arm playfully. "Hey!" He hit you back, but lightly. "Why so light?" You questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Cause I would feel bad hitting a girl too hard." He winked before messing up your hair. You pulled away and attempted to fix your hair once again then stuck your tongue at him. When you were done, you turned to the two guys in the front. "So what are your names?" The man with the sunglasses glanced at you.

"I'm Rude."

"And I'm Reno, nice to meet ya, rookie!"

The red head looked at you in the mirror again, smiling, which you returned for a moment before looking back out the window, watching the nice moonlit scenery go by. About five minutes in the ride, you heard light snoring again, and looked at Zack. You glanced at Angeal and saw him with his eyes closed and arms crossed, looking as if he's sleeping, but you weren't entirely sure. You then decided to look at your PHS for the time. 12:16. Resting your arms on the window sill, you laid your head against them as you watched the view once more, while dozing off.

...

The captain walked into a house in a little village on a hill cradling the baby girl in his arms. The baby fell asleep on the ride to the village, and by the time they arrived it was already night time. The captain quietly walked into the room and went up the stairs then went down the hall to his wife and his bedroom. He quietly turned the knob and opened the door to peek in and see if his wife was awake. When he saw her laying in bed asleep, he quietly walked in and went to her bedside and kneeled down. He looked down at the baby with a smile, and he lightly put the blanket over her head to hide her for the time being. The man then he put his other hand on his wife's cheek, lovingly stroking it.

He leaned in so his lips were to her ear. "Rina, I'm home. Wake up, love." He whispered softly. He moved his lips to her cheek and gently kissed it as she slowly opened her eyes. "Honey...? I-Is that really you...?" She asked as she blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes before looking at him again. "Yes, it's me, love..." He whispered, never removing his hand. She slowly sat up and turned to him. "I missed you so much!" She said as he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her gently on the lips. "There was never a day when I once stopped thinking about you... not even for a second." She wrapped her arms around him.

"Rina... you know how you always wanted a baby?" The captain asked with a warm smile. "Yes! Does that mean we'll...?" The captain's smile only grew bigger. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I love you so much!" She kissed him on the nose. "When will we try it?" She asked, happilly. "Theres no need to." He pushed forward the bundle into her arms, making her wide eyed. She slowly took off the blanket from the baby's face in shock. "It's a girl." He told her with a smile, and sat next to her on the bed. "She's so beautiful..." She said softly as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. "What's her name? How did you get her?" She asked curiously as more tears came, never once taking her eyes off the bundle of joy.

He stayed silent for a moment before answering her. "My men and I found her in a village..." Rina looked up at him. "It was under attack by monsters and she was one of the few who survived." He told her. She looked down at the baby, gently rocking her back and forth. "Poor thing..." She said, quietly. "When we found her we found this with her." He pulled a note out of his pocket and handed it to her. Once she finished reading it, a few more tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked down to examine the babies neck and carefully moved the blanket off of her without waking her and gazed at the necklace. "It's beautiful... just like her." She said rocking her new daughter back and forth once again.

**The dream fades, changing**

_Four years have passed ever since we gotten our daughter, and since her father is in SOLDIER, her and I have become nearly inseparable since he's almost always away. And if we are apart, it's never for too long._ Rina smiled to herself as she watched Mekina play in the meadows near the village. "Mommy! Can we play tag?" Mekina asked, looking at her mother. "Only if you say the P word." Rina said smiling. "Pleaaaase!" Mekina begged. "Alright! Since you said it so adorably, I'm it!" Rina said, laughing and running towards her. "Okay!" Mekina giggled as she ran, "You'll never get me, mommy!" She said as she ran around a tree, grinning.

Rina ran slower than usual to be fair. "Oh, yes I will!" They played games until the sun started setting. Rina swept Mekina off her feet and cradled her little body as she sat down on the grass. "You're growing up so fast..." She said gently stroking her daughter's hair as she sat up in her lap to watch the sunset. "I don't wanna grow up!" Mekina said with a pout making her mother laugh. "All kids think like that, but you'll have to someday." Rina said, moving hair out of Mekina's face as the wind blew. "I wish daddy was here watching the sunset too!" She said, looking at the sky. "Me too, sweety..." Rina said as Mekina rested her head on her mother's chest to sleep.

Once the sunset was down Rina carried her daughter back to the house and tucked her in bed. A few minutes after she tucked her in, she heard a knock on the door and went to open it. When she opened the door, she saw a man in SOLDIER uniform holding a sword in his hands. "Miss Rina?" He asked as she eyed the sword for a moment before looking up at him. "Yes, it's me... did anything bad happen to my husband?" She questioned hesitantly. He stayed silent for a few seconds before nodding his head, and handing her the sword. "This was his. He died while on a mission... I'm sorry, Miss Rina." He bowed his head to her before walking away. She closed the door gently, then looked down at the sword in silence for a moment then dropped to the ground, sobbing.

"Mommy? What's wrong?" Mekina asked going down the stairs hanging on to the railing for balance. Rina got up and walked over to her and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She asked, through her quiet sobs. "No, I woke up cause I had a bad dream again..." Mekina hugged her mom back. "Why are you crying? And why do you have a sword?" Rina picked her up and sat on the couch with her after she put the sword on the table. "...Did something happen to daddy?" She instantly looked down at her in shock, then hugged her. "Your father will be gone for some time, so we wont be able to see him for a while." Mekina reached out to her mother wiping away her tears, "Don't cry mommy we'll see him again, right?" Rina didn't answer her, just held her tighter.

**Dream fades, before changing again**

_Mommy has been sick ever since we heard daddy wont come back for a while... I hope she's gonna be okay. _At the moment, you were standing by your mother's bedside, holding her hand. "Mommy, how are you feeling?" She reassuringly gave your hand a little squeeze. "I feel perfect as long as you're near me." She said smiling weakly at you. Your mother had been really pale for a few months now, and the color to her auburn hair lost it's shine and was now dull. _Her hand is so cold..._ "I'm sorry that you have to stay in the house and watch over me all day... why don't you go play outside for a bit?" She asked, barely above a whisper.

"I don' wanna leave you!" You said, sadly, "Don't worry, honey, only for a few minutes, okay?" She let a gentle smile cross her face. "Bu-" She didn't let you finish. "No buts, young lady!" She said, laughing weakly. This made you frown. "I'll just go to sleep for a while... i'll wake up soon okay, sweety?" She placed her hand on your cheek. "Okay, I'll be back in a bit..." You said before standing up and climbing on the bed to kiss her forehead. "Love you, sweety..." She said giving you a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Love you too." You said hugging her back with a smile then ran out of the room. You ran to the place where your mother and you always played at and sat on the grass. _I missed this place a lot. _You let a small smile show when the wind blew against you gently. You fell backwards so you were looking at the sky for a few minutes.

"I should go back now." Standing up, you went back to your home. Opening the door and running up the stairs, you entered your mother's room. "I'm back, mommy!" You smiled and ran over to your mothers side and held her hand again. Her hand feels colder than before! You thought as you looked at her sleeping form. Getting up, you started tucking her in and when you were done, climbed on the bed and hugged her for a moment. And that was when you realized something. Her heart beat was gone. You quickly pulled away and stared at her. After a moment, you placed your hand to her forehead. She was so cold!

"Mommy?" You rested your head on her chest again... still nothing. "Mommy? Can you wake up... please?" You questioned, quietly. You tapped her shoulder a few times...she still didn't wake up. You put your little hands on her shoulders and began to shake her. "Please talk to me... wake up!" You whispered, "Mommy, please!" You said a little louder, "Wake up!" You yelled, then closed your eyes, Why wont she wake up? I know! I could ask for help! You thought as you ran out of the room and down the stairs to your neighbors and knocked on their door. You knocked a few more times until finally someone opened the door. "Mekina? What are you doing all alone out here?" Kumiko asked you. "Can you help wake my mommy?"

She gave you a questioning look and thought for a moment before concern flashed through her eyes. Once she nodded, you quickly ran back to your house with her following closely behind and ran to the bedroom. The moment she laid eyes on your mother, she froze in the doorway for a couple of seconds, before running over to her. She grabbed her hand and searched for a pulse as you ran on the other side of the bed and climbed up, then crawled next to your mom and placed your hand on her head. Kumiko then laid her head on her chest for a moment before slowly getting back up and looking at you with tears in her eyes.

"You can't wake her?" You asked her, sadly. "I-I don't know how to tell you this." She said stuttering looking down. "You can tell me." You said reaching for her hand. She held your hand gently. "I'm sorry, but your mother is... dead." She said with a few tears rolling down her face. "Dead? What's that?" You questioned, it took her a moment to respond. "It's when... someone is asleep for a long time." She squeezed your hand a little tighter. "...In other words, she's never going to..." You stared at her tear stained face. "Never going to?" You repeated as you reached your little hand to her face and wiped her tears away. "...Wake up." You froze instantly, your breath caught in your throat. "But she was just awake!" You exclaimed as your vision slowly becomes blurry. "I'm so sorry, you're to young to suffer all this... both parents gone at such a young age..." You instantly looked up at her.

"What do you mean both? My daddy's not sleeping! He's still with SOLDIER!" You ran out of the room and outside heading for the meadows. "Oh no! Mekina, please come back!" Kumiko yelled after you, standing up. She ran after you. "Mekina, please stop! It's dangerous out there!" She yelled to you, but you just ignored her and kept on running with tears blinding your vision. _It's a lie, my daddy's not dead! It's just a lie..._ You were so blinded by tears that you tripped and fell, landing on your leg. "Oww!" You grabbed your leg in pain, then sat up and finally examined your surroundings to see where you were.

_This place was where mommy would play with me... _More tears rolled down your cheeks after that thought. You looked up at the sky and saw the sun setting, "Mommy... Daddy... you can't be dead." You whispered to yourself as you looked up and watched the sun slowly go down. "What am I saying... they really are gone. I'm alone." You tried to stand up, but couldn't and just fell back down. You looked at your knee and noticed it was beginning to bruise pretty bad. Sniffing, you curled into a tight ball for comfort before beginning to cry uncontrollably.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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><p>You woke up with someone shaking you lightly. "Hey, wake up, Mekina!" As you opened your eyes, you felt something rolling down your face. Lifting your head out of your arms and turned more to the window, wiping tears away. "You were talking in your sleep. Are you okay?" Finally facing him, you gave a small nod. "Did you dream about your past?" He was silent so the others wouldn't hear. Hesitantly, you did another short nod. "What was I saying?" You asked quietly. "Things like, 'she was just awake' and 'daddy's not sleeping' ...you wouldn't stop shaking." He explained, looking down at your lap.<p>

Curiously, you followed his gaze and saw slightly darkened spots on your purple pants. You felt ashamed and embarrassed for being caught. "Was I saying it really loud?" Zack shook his head. "Not really. Since I was closest to you, I think I was the only one who heard." He replied, quietly. You looked at Angeal, watching him sleep for a few seconds before turning back to Zack and nodding your head. "Fifty more minutes until we get there!" Reno told you both, seeing you and Zack awake. The two of you nodded your head to him, but said nothing.

**Shinra HQ**

"Alright, we all have three hours to relax!" Zack said as you all got out of the helicopter then waved good bye to Reno and Rude. "We will after we tell the Director about the mission." Angeal began walking through the HQ's entrance with you two trailing behind him. "Alright!" Zack eagerly began running ahead of Angeal to the Director's office. "Hey, Zack! Wait!" You exclaimed before turning to Angeal, "Come on, Angeal!" You smiled while grabbing his arm, and dragged him behind you as you ran after Zack. He sighed at this and shook his add at you two, but just let you pull him along anyway. As you turned around a corner you both ran past a red and black figure, but since you were running pretty fast, you failed to take notice of who they were.

"What in the...?" Angeal looked at them over his shoulder. "Hey, Sephiroth! Genesis!" You looked over your shoulder as well and saw them looking at to the two of you with slightly puzzled looks. "Why are you running?" Sephiroth questioned. "Going to the Director." Angeal replied as you slowed to a stop. "And chasing Zack." You added, smiling. "Well, we're going to Lazard for a mission as well. He also wanted Angeal to come." Genesis glanced to Angeal. "Come on, guys! You're so slow!" Zack yelled from farther down the hall, making an echo. "It's not like we're racing, Zack!" Angeal chuckled. "Oh, really? Now that I think about it... do you want to race me, Mekina?" Zack grinned at you. After about a second later, he realized that _the_ Sephiroth was there, then froze in shock.

You looked at his face and tried to hold back your laughter. Since he was currently distracted at the moment, you accepted. "You're on." You ran towards his frozen form. When you got near him you poked him several times since he wasn't moving, but because of this action, he soon came back to reality. "Huh? What- how'd you get here so fast?" He asked staring at you. "Magic." You teased lightly before running past him. "Hey! That's cheating!" Zack went after you, leaving the three 1st class standing there, watching in some entertainment.

"I wonder who's going to win?" Genesis said as they walked to the Director's office. "You cheateeer!" Zack yelled making you laugh again. "Hey you cheated first!" You said,spinning once while running. He smiled and ran a bit faster, now next to you, making your eyes widen in surprise. You both took a sharp turn to the right and were now in a long hallway. On the next corner was his office. You both were running at the same speed next to each other and bursted into Director's office. The Director jumped in shock, eyes almost as wide as golf balls. "What on gaia!" He placed a hand on his chest, trying to calm his heart rate down.

Panting, Zack and you dropped to the floor. "I win!" You both said at the same time. "No, I did!" You both said again as the 1st class trio walked in and looked down at you both. "So, who won?" Genesis asked, unable to hold back a chuckle from what you did to Lazard. "I did!" You both said again then stared at each other before looking at the Director's face and instantly laughed. "Director! Which one of us came in first?" You asked once your laughters subsided to chuckles and giggles.

He looked at you both like you were insane, then sat back in his chair and shook his head with a chuckle. "You two came as a tie." He said calmly as he adjusted his and you stared at him for a few moments, then looked back at each other and shrugged. You glanced up at the whispering trio behind you, and saw Genesis and Angeal handing Sephiroth gil.

"You made bets?" You raised an eyebrow at this, amused. "It was Genesis' idea." Angeal replied sticking a thumb at said 1st. Genesis just shrugged, scoffing. Sephiroth counted the gil before putting it in his pocket, smirking all the while. "What is it you wanted us to do, Lazard?" Sephiroth asked, leaning against a wall. "Oh, yes," He cleared his throat and turned to type on the computer, "There have been attacks on a few of our facilities that hold Shinra secrets. Something is taking our information that we cannot risk anyone knowing. I sent several people from our 1st class to investigate, but we can't find them. So now we need you three." Lazard explained, turning away from the computer and looking at the three of them.

"Where is this place?" Angeal inquired. "It's happening in not one, but two places, which are hidden in the desert and mountain regions." Lazard answered, closing his eyes, but after a moment, he opened them again, realizing something. He looked to Zack and you. "The President said we need as much help as we can get, so we might need you two to come with them..." You and Zack exchanged looks and nodded your heads. "Alright! Another mission!" Zack cheered happily as you smirked. "Now, I understand that you are a 3rd and 2nd class going on a 1st class mission, so if this becomes a success then I will be keeping an eye on you both. And maybe you can become a 2nd and 1st class within a few months or, if you're lucky enough, maybe even in weeks." Lazard looked from Zack to you.

"Awesome!" You jumped up and down excitedly and Zack punched his fist in the air triumphantly. Both of your reactions made Lazard laugh. "When do we leave?" Sephiroth asked Lazard. "Once you get all of the belongings you'll need, then you'll go as soon as possible." Lazard replied, crossing his arms. After that was said, Zack and you gave Lazard your good byes before leaving the room. "Well, at least we're good with the supplies part." Zack told you as you came to a stop outside the Directors door. "Yeah, but we might have to wait for Sephiroth and Genesis to get their stuff." You said sitting on the ground against the wall, waiting for the three 1st's to come out.

Zack sat in front of you and eventually, your eyes locked, silently initiating a staring contest. The trio finally came out and looked down at you two. "It's time to go." Genesis said, walking down the hall with Sephiroth and Angeal. You and Zack sat still for a moment before springing up at the same time, darting for the helicopter in yet another race. "I'll win this time!" Zack said. "No, I will!" The trio stared after your quickly departing figures in more amusement. "Again?" Sephiroth asked, smirking. "Yes." Genesis replied, smirking as well. They began to make bets once more, and at this point, you two were almost to the helicopters already.

...

The two of you were once again laying on the ground, panting heavily. "We... ran so fast... we even beat... the pilot." Zack nodded his head in agreement as the three 1st's arrived. "Tie?" Sephiroth asked. You both were too tired to argue so you just nodded your heads making him chuckle, and he turned to his two friends, holding out a hand. They gave him more gil, scoffing while Zack and you just laughed at them. After about a minute the pilot approached the group.

"We have to take you guys again? Didn't you just come from a mission fifteen minutes ago?" Reno asked with Rude standing next to him. "Pretty much." Zack said as you greeted them with a wave. They both gave a little wave as well before walking over to the helicopter and opened the door so you all could go in. When everyone was securely inside, they lifted from the ground once again. "We'll take you to the closest town near the facility since we don't know where your destination is." Reno informed. Angeal nodded his head. "Understood." And then the journey began.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. And I just want to thank all of you who reviewed, added to watch list, and favorited this story! On quizilla I never really got those things this often... :') Thank you all so much! Enjoy the story :D**

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><p>When the helicopter landed near the entrance of the town, you quickly jumped out and waved bye to Rude and Reno. Reno waved back while Rude nodded to you before taking their leave. "So which way is it?" Zack glanced at Angeal. "This way." Angeal replied, walking to the east of town with you all following.<p>

**Thirty Minutes Later**

"How long did he say we have to walk...?" You asked, looking ahead at a barely noticeable building in the distance. "Somewhere around an hour and fifteen minutes." Genesis told you. "...Meki-" You smirked slightly. "I will when I can see the facility completely." Zack grinned. "Okay."

...

The facility was fully in view now. "Alright, once we- hey! This isn't the time to be racing!" Angeal said, watching you two run off in the distance. "They're going to waste there energy before we even get there." Sephiroth said. His eyes slightly lit up at a thought, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Angeal and Genesis didn't give him the chance. "No!" This made Sephiroth chuckle. They knew he was going to talk about making bets again. You and Zack continued running non stop for a few minutes. Looking behind you, you began to slow down.

"Zack, I think we should wait for the others. We're getting kind of far away." You went to a stop. Zack stopped as well, and looked back, watching their small silhouettes in the distance. "Alright. I guess we can continue this later." He sat down in the sand. You nodded a bit before sitting in front of him and began conversing about random things while waiting for the others. About ten minutes of waiting passed when they finally caught up to you two. You both stood up, joining them in walking while Angeal scolded you both.

...

When you all got to the facility, you decided to split into two groups. Sephiroth and Genesis were together, while you were with Zack and Angeal. Once you all finished, you went separate ways. The room you were in had a big platform with pipes on the walls, and occasionally steam coming out of said pipes. You followed Angeal and Zack down a ladder and landed on another platform, but this one was rather wide, expanding to lots of areas and more ladders that lead below. "The Director said the information was taken from the room at the bottom, so we'll go below." Angeal walked to another ladder as you and Zack nodded, following.

The farther down you went, the more brighter everything became in a blue, green light. When you got to the bottom platform, you went over to the edge and looked down to see mako and something floating in it. _What is that...?_ Wanting to get a better look, you leaned in. _That looks like a person... but he's slowly changing into something. _You uneasily stared at the dead body. "Angeal, I found something." You called, never taking your eyes away from the corpse. Angeal and Zack quickly went over to have a look. "That's one of the 1st class SOLDIER's who disappeared." Angeal furrowed his eyebrows at the sight.

_That's a 1st class? Whoever did this must be pretty strong then..._ Zack walked away to a door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. "There's a terminal to open it." You all heard Sephiroth's voice as he came down a ladder with Genesis. "Oh... well did you find anything?" Zack asked curiously. "Yes, we found one of the missing 1st's bodies." Genesis answered, "How about you?" Sephiroth questioned. You walked over to the edge of the platform and motioned for them to come over. When they did, you pointed to the mako as they looked down. "He's... changing." Sephiroth said as you slowly nodded your head. "Do you know where the terminal is?" He turned around and looked around the area.

"It should either be on this platform or the one above." You began looking around the area as well. "I'll look on the one above." Zack moved to climb up the ladder while the rest of you looked around for the terminal on the lower platform, but were unable to find it. The four of you only had to wait about a minute more until Zack returned. "You can open it now." He said, coming down the ladder, rejoining the group. "Good job, puppy." Zack gave Genesis a look. "I'm not a puppy!" Genesis just smirked at him. Sephiroth opened the door and went in first, scanning the room with his eyes. There were papers and books all over the ground along with some bookcases tilted over. There was blood in several places as well. "What could have done this?" Angeal said to himself as he examined the room.

You looked in the corner of the room and saw a bookcase that fell on what looked like to be on top of something... or someone. You went over and looked underneath it. When you got close enough you heard slight breathing. "Hey, someone's still alive!" Everyone quickly came over to you and heard the breathing as well. You all quickly lifted the bookcase off of whoever was underneath it. Once the bookcase was off, you laid eyes on a somewhat crushed man covered in blood. Weakly, he opened his eyes and stared at you all. "You have to... get out of here..." He coughed up some blood, "They will come back... tonight." Angeal kneeled beside him. "Who will come back?"

"Wu-Wutai... they had materia... to summon." He then breathed his last breath and his head fell back. _Why is Wutai doing this...?_ _And what's a summon?_ "Now that we found out who did this we need to tell the Director immediately." Angeal said as he pulled out his PHS. When he finished telling Lazard the new info, he put his PHS away. "He said the President wanted us to guard the facility until tomorrow." Angeal explained. "What about the other facility?" Zack asked. "He just sent several other 1st class to guard it." Angeal crossed his arms. Taking in the room, from the scattered papers and books, to blood on the ground, and finally to the crumpled, lifeless man, you spoke. "...I'm going to be in the other room." You quickly walked out of the room.

_This place is kind of creepy. I don't like the feeling I get here..._ You pressed yourself against the wall by the door and slid down it, sitting. Soon, the others walked out of the room and went to different parts of the platform, keeping watch. The room was filled with silence until Genesis took out his book, LOVELESS. "My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess." The red SOLDIER softly quoted. You stared at him for a moment. He had his lips curved in a light smile as he read more of his book. Then you looked at his eyes, remembering what you thought of them on that first day you saw him.

_Even now, those eyes are still... hypnotizing._ At that thought, you shook your head before deciding to take your PHS out to look at the time. 6:52 am. You crossed your arms on your legs and laid your head on them, closing your eyes. You only had about three hours of sleep so you were pretty tired. You quickly opened your eyes though. _What if I have a dream again and I talk in my sleep or I wake up crying?_ After a few seconds, you let out a quiet sigh and closed your eyes again._ I'll need my energy for later so it should be okay_. Finally, you allowed yourself to drift off to sleep.

...

Staying on the move with a slight limp, you kept your gaze in front of you on the dark grass. Traveling at night, the only light you had was from the moon. You had been walking for quite a while now, ever since you left your home. In the distance you saw a village and slightly quickened your pace, heading to it. When you got to the entrance the guard looked down at you. "Huh? A little girl? Why are you out here all alone?" He kneeled down to match your height. You looked at him with dry tears streaks along your face. "I kinda... ran away." You said quietly. "And what made you do that, little one?" He asked, curiously.

"My mommy died..." He stared at you in surprise for a moment. Soon after, his eyes softened. "Well you can stay here." He rose to his feet and moved aside so you could go in. You went in and turned around to thank him. He smiled warmly at you before turning back around and going back to his duty. Briefly looking at the village, you walked a bit in until you saw an alley a little ways away from you. You went towards it and sat down once you were in the entrance of it. Curling up on your side, trying to warm up, you soon fell asleep.

**Morning**

You woke up when your stomach growled and decided to stand up, stretching a little. _I'm hungry and have no money..._ When your stomach growled once more, you wrapped your arms around your middle. _I could steal something, but... that's bad..._ Not approving of that thought, your stomach began to growl even louder in protest. _Okay, okay! I'll get something!_ Leaving the alley, you went farther into the village looking for the market. Once you found it, the whole place was filled with the aroma of food, making your stomach growl more.

The place was filled with people so it would be easy to hide when you got something. You went over to a bread shop and went in. It was sort of crowded in there so you went in front and waited for the baker to look away, which he did when he was talking to a customer. Wasting no time, you took two bread sticks from the basket, but sadly, wasn't fast enough, and he saw you as he turned around again. "Stop you thief! You have to pay for those!" He yelled looking at you.

Eyes widening in fear when you realized he caught you, you swiftly darted out of the shop with him chasing you. You snaked your way around the crowd and ran away from the market, and hid in another alley before dropping to the ground panting. "That was too close." Raising up a bread stick to your lips, you began to eat, and glanced down at your knee when you were almost done. Since you had to run it hurt even more. _Jeez, it was just bread sticks and he gets all mad... he should be happy I didn't take something bigger. _When you were done eating, you stood up, wanting to explore the town.

**Several Hours Later**

While you were walking around town you soon heard footsteps behind you, so you quickly turn around. When nothing was in sight, you just shrugged it off and faced forward, starting to walk again. After a few more minutes, a shadow was looming over you and you looked up, eyes soon widening. It was the guy from the bread shop. "Because of thieves like you... I lost my job!" He spat, angrily. "How is it my fault?" You asked, looking up at him. "Oh, it's not just _you_, kid, but the whole lot of you! Since I failed so much at catching you lot, my boss had the last straw today!" He yelled. "I was just hungry! I'm s-" You began to take a few steps back as he approached you.

"No! I don't want to hear your damn excuses you stupid little brat!" He growled, angrily grabbing you by your shirt and threw you to the ground. You landed on your right arm harshly. He threw you with such force that a bruise was already starting to form. "Funny how I happened to come across you by chance, huh?" He sneered and walked over to you, kicking you in side, making you cry out. "The more you scream the more you will be punished! All of you thieves will be punished!" He exclaimed, grabbing you by your hair and pulling you off the ground. His breath smelt of alcohol, making you scrunch up your face in disgust. He back handed you before throwing you into the wall nearby. Your head was the first thing that made contact with it, and so, you blacked out.

...

You woke up and placed a hand on your head where the injury use to be for a moment. Keeping your eyes closed and slowly moving your hand down your face, you soon felt a tear stain along a cheek. _Again? Damn it..._ After wiping it away, trying to play it off like you were just rubbing the sleepiness away, you looked up at everyone, feeling slightly happy that no one else noticed. Or so you thought, but this made you relax a bit. You looked at your PHS. 2:18 pm. A few seconds later you heard your stomach growl, you didn't have anything since yesterday. _I forgot to bring food..._ You wrapped your arms around your stomach in a weak attempt to make it quiet down.

**Several Hours Later**

After a long time of being left with your thoughts, you heard footsteps from the top platform coming closer. All of you went into action and pulled out your weapons, waiting until the enemy was within range to attack. There were about fourteen or fifteen of them and they stopped at the platform above yours and dropped what looked to be grenades. You all moved out of the way as smoke came out, engulfing the entire platform in a matter of seconds. You could hear the clashing of swords to sword or kunai and soon got grazed by a kunai along your arm. Pressing against the wall, you narrowed your eyes, scanning the smoke as best as you could.

Seeing a dark object quickly gaining on you, you jump rolling out of the way as another hit the wall where you use to be. When you jumped, you bumped into a Wutai Soldier, and he took out his katana to slash at you which you evaded by stepping back, then aimed your sword for his side. He dodged and swung at your leg, but you jumped over it, and kicked him in the head. Another Wutainian moved behind you and aimed for your head in a jabbing motion, but you side stepped once more, causing him to cut the other trooper. This made him growl, angrily. "Damn you..." He stuck his hand in a pouch on his side, pulling out kunai between each finger before throwing them at you.

You tried to dodge them by doing a jump flip into the air, but ended up getting hit in the leg by one. With a grimace, you breathed in sharply. Since you were still in the air, you brought your good leg down on his head knocking him down. Once you finished him, you heard Zack yell. "Careful, there's a summon!" The second he said that, the temperature changed. The Wutai Soldier threw more smoke bombs so you couldn't see the summon. You began to shiver uncontrollably as the temperature quickly dropped even more. "Shiva." Sephiroth muttered. After that, you heard a few more swords clash until it was dead silent. The smoke soon dissapeared and the Wutai troops were either killed or knocked out.

In the middle of the platform, saw a pale blue woman floating there with ice floating around her. Her hair reached to her thighs, held up in a high ponytail, and was just as blue as she was. She wore a rather revealing outfit which was a purple bikini that crossed at the front, while two pieces of cloth dangled from the back. The lower part had two cloths as well, but these hung from the sides. She put her hands together and made a ball of ice slowly begin to form as she brought her hands above her head. It continued to increase in size, and when large enough to her liking, she shot it at Sephiroth, which he dodged with the utmost ease. She continued shooting at all of you a few more times before forming an ice sword and attacking Genesis.

When she was about to make contact with him, he ran his hand along his sword, making it glow a beautiful crimson before blocking her attack. He moved a hand away from his sword, and shot fire in her face, bringing a scream out of her. Sephiroth and Angeal quickly attacked her from behind, while you and Zack went for her sides, making her scream once again, but even louder than the last time. Within a few seconds, she disappeared in a flash of blue light and turned into materia before dropping to the floor. "Well... that was easy." Sephiroth said. You looked down at the materia and picked it up to examine. You held it carefully in your hand. _So that's a summon..._ You gazed at the glowing blue ball in the palm of your hand. Angeal flipped out his PHS to call Lazard.

When he was done informing him of the mission, he put his PHS back into his pocket. "We'll have to wait until tomorrow to go back to Shinra HQ." Angeal said. You all nodded your heads in understanding before you looked at your PHS again. 6:38 pm. You all climbed up the ladders and got out of the building, ready to start your journey to the town. When you made it outside, you realized the sun was beginning to set. "What do I do with this?" You asked, pulling the blue materia out of your pocket. "You can hold onto it until we get back." Sephiroth answered before looking at the sky. "Alright..." You said, kind of in a daze while looking up at the sky as well, making him chuckle.

After a few minutes of walking silently, Genesis looked at Zack, then to you, "You're not going to race each other?" Zack shrugged while you said nothing but looked at the sky. "Still always so lost in thought..." He chuckled, waving a hand in front of your face. "Hm? Oh, I'm not sure." You replied, looking over at Zack for a moment. You could tell that he was tired, just as you were. After a few minutes, Genesis pulled out his treasured book to read, and you glanced at it, quietly wondering why he was so into it. Moving a little closer to him, you decided to read some of it, not realizing he was watching you from the corner of his eyes as you did so.

_Okay, so it's about the gift of the goddess... but why is it called LOVELESS when it's not about love? _You then decided to voice your confusion, catching his gaze. "You wouldn't ask that if you took the time to read more of it." From the silent questioning look you were giving him, he sighed. "LOVELESS is about three friends searching for the gift of the goddess. One becomes a hero, another a wanderer, and the last, a prisoner..." Quietly, you peered up to him as he spoke. "The prisoner eventually meets a woman of the opposing nation who saves him... I'm sure you can see where this is going?" You nodded your head.

"So there is love in there... but loveless? Does one of them die?" Genesis smiled at your curiosity. "I'll leave that for you to find out on your own." Genesis smirked when you frowned. "Oh gaia, he's converting her!" Genesis glared at Zack. "Shut it, puppy. You speak as if that's a bad thing." You watched them with amused eyes. "Yeah, it is! One LOVELESS fanatic is already enough!" Sephiroth joined in. "I'm with Zack. There's no need to increase the chances of having another sprout LOVELESS."

Smiling, you reassured them. "Don't worry, I don't think I'll ever get into it enough to do that." Angeal chuckled. "Good, because one Genesis is already enough to handle." Genesis shook his head at the four of you. "It's only a matter of time until you all start to see things differently." Raising a brow, you glanced at him as Zack spoke. "But I don't want to-" Genesis hit Zack in the head with his book. Zack yelped and ran away from him, making Sephiroth, Angeal, and you chuckle at the scene.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. Sorry if this chapter is boring... Enjoy?

You all traveled in a peaceful silence, enjoying the golden rays of light and the colorful sky filled with oranges, blues, and light purples. The silence lasted for a good two minutes until you felt sudden numbness in your leg. Furrowing your eyebrows, you stopped walking and looked down to see the kunai the wutai troop threw, deep in your right thigh. The sight of your blood still gushing out intently caused your eyes to widen in fright. _How could I not even notice this?_ Heart beating fast, you began to feel light headed and dizzy from blood loss.

"Guys... I don't feel so good." You muttered under your breath before closing your eyes, dropping to the sand. Zack's went wide eyed. "Mekina!" Before you could even touch the sand, a strong arm wrapped around your waist. Genesis moved an arm, putting his book into his leather jacket as he held onto you. "Her thigh is bleeding heavily." Sephiroth said, making the four SOLDIER's look down, examining your leg. "Let's hurry back to town to treat it." Angeal said as the others nod. "...Unless." Genesis muttered causing Angeal look at him curiously. "Unless what?" Zack asked, staring at your slightly pale body.

Genesis didn't reply, but placed you gently on the sand as he reached into his jacket for something. He pulled out a cure materia and casted it on you, and a bright green light swirled around your body for several seconds until fading away. After putting the materia away, he slipped his arms underneath you, carrying you. Slowly, you slightly began to regain your natural color, but still looked rather pale. "So, she's okay now?" Zack asked, breaking the silence. "Yes, Zack. She's okay." Angeal said as everyone continued to the town.

**At the Town**

By the time you got back to town, it was night, and you all made reservations at the inn then went to your rooms. Genesis went in one room and placed you on the bed before taking your sword, placing it next to a wall. He looked over his shoulder, watching you for a moment, before walking out into the main room where the others were relaxing. Sephiroth was leaning against the wall, Angeal was reading a magazine on the couch, and Zack was doing squats in the corner of the room. "Is she awake yet, Genesis?" Zack asked, curiously. Genesis lightly shook his head then leaned against a wall, opposite of Sephiroth, and read loveless. Zack sighed before continuing his training.

Your eyes eventually opened to the darkness of the room, stomach growling loudly causing you to wrap your arms around yourself and roll on your tummy, so your face was in your pillow. _Wait... huh? _You rolled back over onto your back and sat up. Letting your eyes get use to the darkness for a moment, you glanced around the room. Two small tables rested between three beds, counting the one you were laying on, and several windows lined two of the walls... that was all you could see in the moon lit room. Getting out of bed you stretched a bit then looked around the room for a light switch. When you finally found it, you flipped it on so you could get a better look at the room.

When finished, you were about to leave the room, but your eye caught your reflection in the mirror. You went over to the mirror and looked at yourself from head to toe. There were no visible bruises, but dirt was on your clothes and face. Not to mention the big blood spot on your leg and your eyes widened as you remembered what had happened. "Oh yeah... I fainted from blood loss." You facepalmed yourself. _How pathetic._ You removed your hand when your stomach growled again. "And maybe lack of food?" You said under your breath, chuckling nervously.

You looked at your hair, noticing how natted it was and you ran your fingers through it, trying to untangle it, but only managed to make it all the more screwed up. Groaning in annoyance and turning on a heel, you looked around the room for anything to use. Seeing nothing, you moved to sit on the bed, and tried to fix yourself up once more. In about five minutes, most of the tangles were gone and it was good enough for you to run your fingers through without getting caught. Standing up, you left the room and went into the main room. When you went in, Angeal seemed to be scolding Zack about something, and that's when you noticed a vase shattered on the ground. You chuckled at the pouting Zack making him notice you.

"Finally, you're awake!" Zack grinned happily. "You act like I've been unconscious for days..." You replied as he just shrugged. "How are you feeling?" Angeal asked, giving you his full attention. "I'm feeling better than before." You said with a little smile and looked around the room then look back at them in question. "So... where's Genesis and Sephiroth?" You asked curiously. "They're on the outskirts of town sparring." Angeal answered and you nodded. "They should be back by ten." He said looking at his PHS as you did the same, 9:42 pm. When you put it away, your stomach growled loudly making your face heat up. The two SOLDIER's laughed at this.

"There's a restaurant across from the hotel." Zack said running to the door. "Zack." Angeal said sternly, making him slide into the door. Angeal pointed to the shattered vase. Zack groaned at this. "Aw, man!" He walks down the hall and opened a closet getting a broom and pan, then came back cleaning it. You snickered quietly so Zack couldn't hear you, and when he was done cleaning the three of you waited for the two 1st class to come back.

**Thirty Minutes Later**

"Angeaaal." Zack and you laid on the carpet, motionless. "Can we please go now?" Zack asked as your stomach growled, once again, annoying you. "We'll leave soon." Angeal sighed. "But you said that ten minutes ago." You said, now rolling on your side back and forth as you clutched your stomach. He raised an eyebrow at you before letting out a chuckle. "Fine, we'll leave now." He then stood up, and Zack and you jumped to your feet. "Yeah! Let's go!" Zack ran out the room with you and Angeal walking after him.

**At the Restaurant**

The three of you just got seated at a booth and were now looking at the food to order. When you all finally decided on what to get, you only had to wait about two minutes for someone to come and take your orders. She had black hair held in a high pony tail and hazel eyes along with a little notepad and a cheery smile. "Alright, I'll be back in a bit." She said, writing down the last order before taking your menu's away, then left into the doors of the kitchen. "So what are you guys getting?" You asked, once the waitress went away.

"Pizza." Zack grinned. "Soup and seafood salad." Angeal glanced from Zack to you. "And you?" Once you finished saying what you wanted, you all continued having small talk about different kinds of food, until the waitress came back and placed your drinks in front of you, then the food. "Wow that was fast!" Zack said, making the waitress giggle, and you could have swore that you saw Zack wink at her as well. "Enjoy." She smiled. You all thanked her and she nodded her head before walking away, leaving you to finish eating and converse amongst yourselves.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. Had some fun with this part and I hope you like it :D**

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><p>Once you all finished eating, you left the money on the table along with a nice tip for the waitress, then went back to the hotel across the street. As you walked out the door, you examined the town since you weren't paying attention when you left the inn, or when you went to the restaurant. There were several lights on the street you were on, but other than that, it was completely dark. You shivered lightly as a cold breeze blew past you. "Come on, don't just stand there!" You heard Zack call out to you, and turned your head in his direction with a nod, then ran over to them.<p>

You went into the lobby and up the stairs to your rooms. The three of you stopped at the door, waiting patiently for Angeal to get the key and unlock it. Once it was unlocked, you walked in seeing the other two SOLDIER's. "Where have you been?" Genesis asked, never taking his eyes away from his book. "At the restaurant across the street." Angeal replied, walking over to a wall and leaning on it. "Ah, and without us?" Genesis questioned as a small smirk curved at the corner of his lips in a somewhat teasing manner. "You took too long and we got tired of waiting." Zack said, crossing his arms. Genesis shrugged while turning a page of his book.

You quietly walked out of the room, unnoticed, and went into the room you woke up in. Lightly furrowing your eyebrows, you ran your hand along the walls until you found a light switch, and flipped it on. You looked around the room, letting your eyes stop on a door. You went over and opened it, hoping it was the bathroom. Flipping on the light and stepping into the room, you examined yourself in the mirror. _I should have done this before I went to the restaurant,_ you let out a silent sigh while turning on the faucet letting the warm water run, then splashing it onto your face, getting rid of the dirt.

When you were sure all the dirt was gone, you looked back at your reflection, seeing your clean face. You examined yourself once again, noting how dirty you still were. Turning and walking out of the room to get your bag, you pulled out your uniform. You then went back into the bathroom, and placed them on the counter, then turned on the shower. After kicking off your boots and taking your clothes off, you ran a hand in the water, wondering if it was warm yet. It took a few seconds until it got warm enough then you went in. You closed your eyes and faced upward, letting the water run down your face.

After about five minutes of cleaning, you stepped out of the shower, quickly dried off, and slipped on your clean uniform. You looked at yourself in the mirror, running your fingers through your damp hair, then smiled, liking the feeling of being clean. You picked up your dirty clothes and walked out of the room, placing them next to your bag. "What to do now..." You mumbled to yourself as you sat next to your bag. Absent mindly you reached a hand up and played with your necklace between your fingers. You sat in silence for a few minutes until you remembered your sword.

Your eyes widening and quickly jerked your head up and looked around the room for your sword. _How could I forget that!_ you jumped to your feet and looked around the room for a few seconds, then relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. _It just fell behind the table... hehe_, you smiled, while walking over to the table with the hilt of your sword sticking out behind it. You pulled it out and placed it gently on the wall, and examined it.

_No chips or scratches, but a bit dirty... _You ran your fingers along the smooth blade, then walked out of the room, wondering what everyone else was doing. You walked in the room with only Angeal and Sephiroth noticing you while Zack watched tv, and Genesis read and quoted Loveless every now and then. You went over to Angeal and Sephiroth and sat on the ground near them while they leaned against the wall. "Hey Sephiroth, how did your fight go?" You questioned, looking up at him. "I won once again." He answered, looking at Genesis from the corner of his eye with a smirk. Genesis narrowed his eyes at the book in annoyance before shutting it.

"I believe that I won, Sephiroth." Genesis said, looking up at him. "Oh really? It didn't seem like it to me, when yo-" "Guys... stop." Angeal said, looking at them both with a stern look. You looked back and fourth between them. _I should have known this would happen. _You rested the back of your head against the wall, feeling regret for asking, and guilt for causing this. "Hmph." Genesis closed his eyes while draping his arm over his knee while his other leg was laid out in front of him. The room was filled with silence again... except for the tv. There was some kind of horror movie on and Zack seemed to never take his eyes away from it. You all watched in silence, as the sound of a chainsaw filled the room, soon after followed by a man screaming in agony as the chainsaw cut through his body.

You closed your eyes, still seeing the scene play through your mind. _Oh no... now it's stuck in my head and I will probably have a nightmare about it... NOOOO! _You closed your eyes even tighter while you heard another person scream in pain, and only opened your eyes when you heard Genesis chuckle. You narrowed your eyes at him, knowing that he laughed because of you, and turned your head back to the tv, trying not to close your eyes through the gory parts... in the end it wasn't that scary at all, just people getting cut to pieces.

"Well... that was one jacked up movie." Zack said, when the movie ended. "Yeah..." You said, crawling up next to him and grabbing the remote, switching the channel. "Ah! Go back to the last channel!" Zack said turning to you with puppy dog eyes. You tried to ignore him while holding in a laugh. "Hey!" You exclaimed as he pushed you over fighting for the remote. He quickly grabbed it once you loss grip of it, and went back to the channel he wanted.

It was another horror movie. You stared at the tv for a moment still laying on your back, watching Zack press the info button to see what it was about. Once you saw the name of it you quickly got off the floor and tackled Zack fighting for the remote. "Calm down," Angeal said, trying to hold back a laugh. You both ignored him and continued fighting for the remote, until you finally got it. "I win!" You exclaimed, quickly jumping to your feet and running to the other side of the room. By now, the three 1st class found you both more entertaining than the movie.

Zack quickly got up and ran after you as you switched past a few channels to South park, then ran out of the room. "Hey! Get back here!" Zack exclaimed, still chasing you. A few minutes with him chasing you, you ran back in the room with the tv, and ran over to the couch hiding the remote under the cushion. Then you quickly spun around dropping to the ground and sat, panting lightly. Zack came in the room seconds after you sat down. "Okay... I give." He panted, sitting on the ground next to you, watching South park. You laughed, smiling victoriously. "After this show I think we should sleep, we'll be getting up early tomorrow." Angeal said, looking at his PHS.

Zack and you let out a sigh. "Okay, Angeal." Zack said, as you all watched Kenny die. "Noo! Kenny!" You said, holding in a laugh. "...What is wrong with this show?" Sephiroth asked with an amused smirk on his face. You shrugged lightly, laughing. Once the show was over you went to your room and sat on the bed closest to the window. You were sharing the room with Zack and Angeal, while Sephiroth and Genesis shared the other. Probably wasn't such a good idea though, now that Angeal thought about it. You looked up at your sword, making sure it didn't fall. You admired it as the moonlight shone on it, making it look as if it was glowing. When you were done admiring it, you pulled the covers back and laid in the bed, staring at the moon over the desert, slowly falling asleep.

**A Few Hours Later**

You felt someone's hand on your shoulder, shaking you. "Come on, it's time to go back to Shinra HQ," Angeal said, as you opened your eyes. "What time is it?" You asked, half asleep. "5:30... I told the director that we would be there by 8:30, and it takes a few hours to get there." He replied as you tiredly rubbed your eyes, sitting up. "Okay, Angeal." You got out of bed stretching a bit. Angeal laughed quietly, then went over to Zack trying to wake him up, but Zack resisted. You raised an eyebrow wondering why he laughed, so you went into the bathroom and looked at yourself in the mirror.

Your hair looked like you just came out of a storm. You stared in silence at yourself as a small smile tugged at your lips unwillingly and you couldn't help but laugh at yourself. "Wow, that would be embarrassing if anyone else saw me like this..." You said to yourself as you ran your fingers through your hair pulling out the tangles. After a few minutes your hair was untangled and smooth again, then you went out of the bathroom when you were done with everything else you needed to do.

As you came out you chuckled at the scene playing before you, Angeal was trying to pull Zack out of the bed, but he refused to let go of the bed. After minutes of trying he finally got him out, and the two of you took your belongings and went to the lobby, waiting for him to get ready. "What took you so long?" Genesis asked, sitting on the lobby's couch while Sephiroth was in the arm chair near him. "Zack wouldn't get up." Angeal said, sitting next to Genesis. "Ah, no wonder." Genesis said, pulling out his beloved book, and reading it. A few minutes later Zack came down the stairs, and into the lobby.

"Alright! Let's go!" Zack said eagerly running out the hotel. You all stared at him as he left before you slowly stood from your seat. "I don't wanna go back... it's just more boring training for me." You said, crossing your arms. Sephiroth stood up and bent over to mumble something in your ear. Your eyes slightly widened in remembrance before you ran out of the inn. "Come on guys, let's go!" You called over your shoulder, leaving behind a chuckling Sephiroth and two confused 1st class. "What did you say, Sephiroth?" Angeal asked curiously. "Just that Lazard said if she did good on this mission then she has a chance at being a 2nd class..." Sephiroth replied, walking out the hotel. Genesis and Angeal exchange looks before walking out of the inn, leaving the key to the room on the front desk.

**Entrance of the Town**

All of you stood in the front of town, boarding the helicopters heading back to Shinra HQ. "We should be there in about an hour and thirty minutes." Reno said as he lifted the helicopter off the ground. "Okay!" Zack said, while you looked out the window like you usually did.

**A Few Hours Later**

The helicopter landed gently on the top of Shinra HQ. You all got out of it and went to Lazards office to report in your mission, while the Turks left for Turk business. "So how did the mission go?" Lazard asked, leaning forward in his chair, resting his arms on the desk. "Well the group of 1st class you sent there are dead, and when we arrived, we found a survivor, which died soon after he told us some information. He said... Wutai did this." Angeal said as Lazard sat up in his chair.

"I see..." He said, quietly, "Well if the wutai did this then we can't let them get away with it. I'll look into this to see if it's true. We don't want to fight meaningless battles, now do we?" He started to type on his computer. "He said they had materia to summon." Angeal said, turning to you, and you nod placing your bag on the ground, pulling out the blue materia. "It was Shiva." Sephiroth said as Lazard stopped typing and got up out of his seat, going over to you. You handed it over to him so he could examine it. "Intriguing..." He said, holding it between his fingers, then looked at you. "Since it seems that you've completed your mission... I will be keeping a closer eye on you." Lazard turned around and placed the materia on his desk.

"So I have a better chance at being 2nd class now?" You questioned, clasping your hands behind your back. He turned back around and nodded at you with a smile. "You could become one in maybe a month, a few weeks...or maybe even one week if you're really good on your missions... but that's very rare for people." He said, sitting back in his chair. "And Zack the same goes for you, but for 1st of course." He added. "Oh yeah!" Zack exclaimed, jumping up and down happily making Lazard chuckle. You all said your farewells before walking out of the room then going your separate ways to your rooms.

You opened your door and looked around your room, happy to be back, then took off your back pack and put it on the bed and took off your sword, placing it against the wall. You looked at your digital clock as it flashed in green, 8:46 am. _The 3rd's should be training by now,_ you thought as you went over to your window and looked down at Midgar. "I guess I could go for a walk and try to find something to do..." You said to yourself as you left your room and went into the Shinra halls.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. And yes, that creature does have a small purpose... but it wont be used anytime soon. ****Enjoy ;)**

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><p>As you walked through Shinra halls, you eventually remembered Hojo's lab. <em>I still could try to get the creature out of there... but where is his lab?<em> You furrowed your eyebrows as you tried to remember. _Zack showed me where most places are, but I still can't really remember them that well. _You sighed quietly. _I wonder if it's still alive... it looked very rare, so I don't think he would do anything to extreme, just some experiments... but, then again, I barely know the man, and besides what would I do with it? It might be best if I don't do it at all. _Peering out a window, you watched the 3rd class train, swords clashing. _I should train so I can be strong like the 1sts..._ You decided to go back to your room to get your sword and key card, then went to find the virtual room.

Stopping in front of the door and slipping your keycard through the controls, the doors open, and you stepped inside the room, then went over to the control panel on the inside, staring curiously at it. "How do I make enemies appear though?" You asked yourself quietly. You stared at it for a minute then started pressing random buttons after you linked it with your PHS. The room soon changed into a meadow of grass and blue sky with white puffy clouds moving gently with the breeze. The wind blew against you and you instantly smelled salt water and heard waves in the distance. You walked in the direction of the sound and in about two minutes of walking you saw the waves crashing against the shore.

Admiring the view for a few minutes, you almost forgot why you were there. Giving off a low hum in thought, you looked down at your PHS and pressed more buttons for a while until virtual enemies appeared. You took your sword from your back as you were surrounded by about ten or twelve. "I think I kind of over did it a little..." You muttered with a nervous tone, glancing around you. They rushed towards you with their swords and you quickly jumped into the air, avoiding them. Before they made contact with each other, like you had wanted, they blocked each others attacks and turned to you again. Two of them jumped in the air at you, the first slashing at the left of your head, while the other to your right side.

You moved your sword above your head and swung in an arc, ending with your sword downwards while quickly moving backward, blocking the blows. Four more enemies surrounded you the second you blocked the attack and slashed at you. Fear filled your eyes as you put all your weight on the sword in an attempt to push the two in front of you away, then ran between them. You succeeded, only getting hit in the shoulder and part of your back. Grunting in pain, you felt warm blood run down your body and you turned around, facing them again. _What level are these guys anyway!_ Quickly you glanced at your PHS. "Level 8..." You read out loud before putting it back in your pocket, glaring at them.

_This would be a lot easier if I had some materia_. You then held your sword up in a defensive stance, waiting for them to make a move. Your wounds weren't deep enough to be seriously injured, they just stung like hell. This time, five of them rushed at you. Rushing towards them, you went over the one in the middle doing a front flip, and had your sword sticking out as you did this, so you cut through it's virtual head. After landing in a crouching position, you looked over your shoulder at it and watched from the corner of your eye as it disappeared. Just as realization dawned on you, you turned your head back forward to the ones in front of you. You narrowed your eyes in annoyance and stood up, slowly being surrounded in a circle again, and slowly spun around, counting how many were left.

_Eleven... this time I won't wait for them to attack!_ You ran to the one in front of you with your sword tip trailing the ground lightly and, when close enough, slashed at it's side. Unfortunately for you, it blocked your blade with ease. You moved your leg up to kick it in the head, making it stumble backwards a bit, before continuing your assault. You brought your sword above your head and down upon it and watched as it flickered away. You quickly spun around blocking another attack you saw from the corner of your eye. Both of your swords shook under the pressure you both were applying. Another virtual enemy appeared by your side in a flash and swung at your head. Your eyes widened as you quickly moved to the side only getting a cut on your cheek.

You jumped away from the one in front of you as he was about to swing at you again. When you recovered, you moved your sword up in front of you before moving towards them both, and swiftly, slashing them in half. Panting heavily, you looked up at the rest that remained. _There's no way I'm going to die now... I have to become stronger! _Regaining your posture, you rushed towards them again. _Just have to kill them one at a time... _You ran with your sword in a jabbing position and attempted to stab the closest one, but it gracefully pushed your blade to the side and jabbed at you instead. You quickly twirled out of the way and brought your sword down on his, then kicked it in the side as hard as you could.

Lifting your sword up, you moved to it and punched it in the face, making a small flicker happen. You brought your sword up and slashed at it's chest, killing it. Just as that one died another brought its sword over it's head and down on you, but you quickly raised your sword above your head and pressed your hand on the flat side of the blade for better support, blocking it. Once it made contact you heard a small crack, making your eyes widen in shock. With the remaining strength you had you push it away and jumped back to examine your blade. A big crack was on it. _If it takes anymore damage it will break... _You sighed as you ran your fingers over the crack before looking up at the enemy. Glaring angrily at it, you ran towards it, swinging your sword at his chest.

It blocked it to the side and kicked you in the stomach making you wince from the sudden impact. You flew backwards from the force and not too long after soring in the air, you harshly landed on the grass with a loud thud. You let out a cry as you landed on your injured back and shoulder, but only wrapped your arms around your stomach to try and ease that pain. In the mean time though, the enemy approached you. You felt more blood on your back as you gripped your sword, trying lift it from the ground, but soon found out you couldn't. You turned your head and saw one stepping on the blade with all its pressure, eventually breaking it in half. A gasp of shock and fear left you. You lifted your head back up to the one approaching you a moment later, it's sword gleaming in the sun light.

Weakly, you sat up clutching your arms around yourself as it rose it's sword higher while coming closer. _So this is how it ends? Wait, what am I thinking! It's just a virtual thing... it can't really kill me, right?_ You tried to stand to your feet, only to be stabbed in the arm from one by your side, keeping you down. _Then again... _You groaned in pain and closed your eyes for a moment, before opening them again. A curse escaped your lips in between your heavy panting. By now the blade was completely above it's head and it stopped in front of you for a few seconds. Then it quickly brought it down, and you tightly shut your eyes once again, waiting for what was to come.

You saw your life flash before your eyes. _This really is the end! _You waited a few more seconds for the blow, but when nothing happened you opened one eye nervously, then soon the other with a sigh of relief. Standing in front of you was Sephiroth along with all the enemy's fading around him. You gaped at him in silent shock for a moment, before slowly recovering as he went over and took the sword out of your arm. "Thanks, Sephiroth." You half smiled through tightly shut eyes before trying to stand up as he nodded a 'no problem'. "You shouldn't move." He pulled out his PHS making the room change back to normal. "Alright." You examined yourself, then looked back up at him.

"You'll have to go to Hojo so you can heal." He told you, a hint of dislike in his voice. You blinked at this and pondered over it for a moment before walking over to him with a sigh. "Great, I live, but now I have to suffer in Hojo's Lab." You pouted as Sephiroth chuckled at your words, both of you now walking out of the room. "Hey Sephiroth? How did you know I was in there anyway?" You asked, curiously as he looked down at you. "I didn't. I was there waiting for Angeal and Genesis." He replied, calmly. "Oh, I see. Well, thanks again for saving me." You smiled at him. "No problem." He looked down at you with a kind glance.

**Hojo's Lab**

Sephiroth knocked on the door and both of you soon heared Hojo's annoying voice. "What do you want?" He questioned. "It's Sephiroth." The door opened. "Oh, you! Come in!" Hojo yelled as you two walked in. "Heh, and you even brought that girl with you." He began to examine you as well as Sephiroth. "Ah, you're hurt again?" He asked with a smirk, stopping whatever he was doing at the table. He walked over to another table and opened a drawer looking for something, most likely the needle. You shivered lightly, then turned your gaze away from him to see what he was doing on the table. You stared wide eyed at the thing on the table.

It was a monster with reddish-brown scales and big black eyes along long claws. It was a little taller than you by the looks of it, and its head was cut open. He was dissecting it. "Hopefully you won't run away this time." He teased as he finished filling it with mako, then turned around and went over to you. "...I won't. Just give me it already." You said, hesitantly, as he brought the syringe up to your neck and stabbed you harder than last time. You closed your eyes tightly biting your lip, trying to not scream in pain, and opened your eyes when the pain subsided and walked over to Sephiroth, swaying lightly.

"Now the both of you get out! I've been disrupted enough already today!" Hojo said as you two obeyed, gladly leaving. Sephiroth placed a hand on your shoulder to keep you from steady. "Thanks... I think I'll be fine now." You said while you slowly regained your normal vision, then looked up at him. "Sorry for making you late with meeting Angeal and Genesis." You said as you leaned against a wall. "It's alright." He replied leaning against the wall opposite of you. "You need to be more careful and at least train with another person next time or you will be in another situation like this." Sephiroth scolded you lightly.

"And you might not be as lucky as you were this time." _Lucky...? _"I know, but... I want to become strong like you and the other 1st class. I don't want to keep being saved..." Sephiroth stayed silent for a moment, thinking. "You can train with us then... we wont hurt you too much." Sephiroth said after a moment, "That is, if you're up for it?" You looked up at him, a smile slowly appearing on your face. "I'd really like that. Thanks, Sephiroth!" You said, with a big smile. A very faint smile rested on his lips before the two of you walked to the virtual room.

**At the Training Room**

Sephiroth slipped his key card in the door and walked in with you beside him. Once you both went in, the surroundings changed to the Junon cannon once again. You looked up to see Genesis sitting on the pipe reading, and Angeal leaning against it with his eyes closed. Genesis lifted his gaze from his book to look at Sephiroth. "Took you long enough." Genesis said, smoothly. Angeal opened his eyes when he heard Genesis' voice, and looked over at you both.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina. This will be the last chapter up for today, gonna rest a bit now... I hope you guys like it. :)**

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><p>Genesis got off the pipe, taking out his rapier. Angeal did the same, and Sephiroth took out masamune. You reached a hand over your shoulder for the hilt of your sword, only to feel nothing. Your eyebrows furrowed, remembering what had happened only a few minutes earlier. "My sword broke." You said with a short sigh as Genesis and Angeal look at you. "I was training here a while ago and... they were too strong for me." You said the last part quietly, feeling a little embarrassed and ashamed about what happened. "Ah... Well then you can have the honor of watching the true power of 1st class." Genesis said, smoothly. "Or... I could do this."<p>

A smirk played on your lips as you turned to Sephiroth, attempting to punch him in the chest. He easily brought his sword down, blocking the hit. You turned your hand so masamune could connect with the metal part, and when it did a loud 'clash' was heard, and Angeal and Genesis stared in amusement. A spark of amusement even flashed through Sephiroth's eyes for a moment before he moved his sword quickly to the side of you, which you avoided by jumping backwards. "You'll have an even higher chance of getting hurt." Angeal said, before moving to Genesis, making their swords clash. You nodded in understanding as Sephiroth went over to them while their swords were parlaying, and swung his blade at their heads.

They both quickly ducked then jumped out of the way backwards as Sephiroth brought masamune down. Genesis ran to Sephiroth slashing his sword to the side as Sephiroth blocked it with ease. You jumped toward Angeal and tried to punch him in the face but he side stepped, hesitantly swinging his sword at you. You brought your arms down, blocking it, then looked up at him with a reassuring smile. "You don't have to hold back, Angeal. I can handle it." Once that was said, you dropped to the ground, planning to sweep kick at his legs. He didn't reply, just jumped over your leg, before bringing his sword above his head, then down.

You jump rolled out of the way, knowing that he was still holding back, then quickly stood up ready to attack him again, but at the corner of your eye, saw Genesis coming at you. You quickly side stepped, dodging his blade. "Too slow!" You teased, making him narrow his eyes at you. He rushed in again, but this time, he was a bit too fast for you. You quickly held your arms up in front of your face in an "X" blocking his sword. _I didn't think he could be this fast... guess this is what I get for underestimating a 1st_, you thought as your arms shook from his weight on the blade. He noticed this and couldn't help but smirk a little. Another moment later and Sephiroth was standing beside the two of you.

Sephiroth held masamune above his head, about to swing it down, but before he could, you did a round kick against his side with your left leg. He caught your leg with ease and brought his sword down to your side. Your eyes widened in fear before dropping to the ground, missing his sword by a couple of inches. He still was holding your leg so you brought your free leg into his legs, attempting to trip him. When your leg made contact with his, he didn't even budge. But he did let go of your leg. You rolled backwards before his masamune landed where you use to be. At the corner of your eye, you saw a shadow jump high in the air towards you. You jumped out of the way again, just as Angeal landed where you were with his sword in the ground.

"You're improving. Good." Angeal told you as he rose to his feet and ran towards you in a blur. "Cool..." You said under your breath as you watched him disappear and reappear next to you. You did a jump flip over him, dodging his blade. He swiftly spun around and you got up as fast as you could to block his attack with your metal gloves, instantly flinching from the impact. Genesis made his sword glow, then went to Angeal and you. You moved to the side while Angeal turned to him, blocking his attack. _I don't even know if I'll be able to block Genesis' attack. I don't want to make the same mistake again, _you examined your gloves in thought, before looking back up, watching the three of them fight. This fight seemed to be getting even more intense than the first one you had with them by the second.

Genesis made his hands glow red, shooting fire at Angeal and Sephiroth. They both easily dodged his attacks, gracefully and swiftly. You inhaled and exhaled deeply a moment before rushing towards them as fast as you could, for if you were too slow, you had the risk of being hit by him. You tried coming in a blur similar to Angeal's, but were much more slower. Clenching your hand into a tight fist as you got closer, you noticed his head turn slightly in your direction. Too bad for you, he saw you from the corner of his eyes, and swiftly turned around, ready to get you with fire. You jumped towards him, fist only inches from his face, but he gracefully side stepped, avoiding it. You were going too fast to stop yourself, so you just kept going past him.

Both of you made eye contact as he made his hands glow and shot fire at you, but luckily, you were going too fast by him to get hit. Angeal's eyes widened slightly since he knew there was no way you could defend yourself against fire. Genesis held his sword in front of him making it glow red as well. You finally stopped and turned to him, but he had already disappeared. This puzzled you, making you blink in confusion several times before looking around, wondering where he could have gone. You felt a breeze behind you, sending chills up your spine, then quickly jumped forward, having a bad feeling about what would happen if you stayed there.

The second you jumped forward, you heard a swooshing noise and turned your head. Genesis was now running towards you, rapier glowing that brilliant crimson. You instantly knelt down, missing his attack once again, then dropped on your back, making him look at you strangely. You smirked as you laid back, resting on your forearms. Then you used all of your arm strength to lift yourself up, kicking him in the stomach with both of your feet, sending him backwards. He recovered by doing a back flip and landing on a knee. Slowly rising, he looked at you through narrowed eyes. You laid on the ground for a moment, stunned that, that had actually worked, then got up looking at him.

"Wow, I never thought that would actually work." You smiled triumphantly at him. "Sent flying by a 3rd class... you're losing it Genesis." Sephiroth chuckled at the angered red head. Genesis glared at Sephiroth before turning his gaze back to you, and before you knew it, he rushed towards you swiftly. _Great, now he's going to try to beat the crap out of me for kicking him, just so he can regain his pride_, you thought nervously as you saw a strange, sinister gleam in his eyes. "...This is the part where I drop my honor and pride and RUN!" You turned around and ran as fast as you could. Angeal laughed at the scene while Sephiroth watched with a smirk, chuckling to himself.

You looked over your shoulder to see how far away you were, and when you did, your eyes instantly locked with his. That gleam still hadn't left from his eyes, and now, he had an evil smirk to match it which made you run even faster since you were about fifteen feet apart. You ran to Angeal and Sephiroth and hid behind them, catching your breath, but you only had about five seconds to do so until Genesis caught up. When he tried to get to you from around them, you would go the opposite way so you would stay the same distance apart. He narrowed his eyes at you, clearly annoyed, before disappearing yet again.

"I'm screwed." You said as you felt a presence behind you. You turned around just as he swung his sword at you, which you blocked by raising up a hand. You couldn't help but shake as you tried to hold the pressure he was adding. "Got you." He muttered with a victorious smirk as he lifted his other hand making it glow. You looked at it for a moment, then tried to punch him in the face, but he caught your hand with his glowing one before you could even hit him. The moment you made contact with his hand, you winced. He was burning you. You closed your eyes as the pain slightly worsened, making the leather even hotter, burning the flesh that was underneath it.

Then on reflex, you brought your knee into his stomach in an attempt to make him stop. You heard him let out a grunt before feeling his grip loosen, soon letting you go. Once you were free, you instantly pulled your hand close to you and examined it. The metal on the top had faint steam coming out and your fingers had burnt marks. Angeal sighed, looking at you both. Genesis simply rolled his eyes, knowing what Angeal was going to say, then turned his gaze to you, eyes locking once again. The gleam had reappeared, making you lightly shiver. "Genesis..." Angeal said warningly as you two stared at each other, refusing to blink.

You broke the contact by closing your eyes and shaking your head lightly. _I did hit him as hard as I could... so in a way, we're kind of even... for now,_ you thought as you examined your burnt hand once more. He chuckled walking past you and leaned on the pipe next to Angeal who was sitting on it. Sephiroth stood a few feet away from you staring at the sky. You went over to the pipe and sat on the ground, back resting against it as you gazed over the ocean with the wind gently blowing against you. All of you stayed in silence, enjoying the view, until Genesis started quoting LOVELESS.

"When the war of the beasts brings about the worlds end. The Goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss her gift everlasting." Genesis quoted, softly. You pulled out your PHS. 2:32. You still had about six hours of freedom, at least until tomorrow, and quietly sighed as you put the phone away, unaware of what Genesis was doing until you felt something hit your head. "Ah!" You exclaimed when Genesis hit you with his book. "Revenge complete." He said under his breath, then went back to reading. You smiled a little before standing up, then sitting on the pipe next to Angeal. "Do any of you guys know where I can get a new sword?"

"You can pick one from the weapon store near Shinra HQ." Angeal said, resting his hands behind him and leaning back. "Ah, okay. Where's that?" You asked, looking at him. He motioned for you to follow then got off the pipe. You obeyed with a nod, now standing beside him. He pressed a few buttons on his PHS and everything went back to normal before he walked out of the room calling back. "We'll be back in a bit. Unless you two want to come along?" They both stayed silent for a moment thinking. Then gave a short nod before going out of the room as well and down the halls.

**At the Weapon Store**

The four of you walked into the store greeted by the shopkeeper. "Hello! How may I help you?" He kindly asked before freezing when he realized who you all really were. "Whoa! You're the Sephiroth! It's an honor to have you in my store!" He exclaimed, excitedly. "So how may I help you all?" He smiled. "Well... I need a sword." You replied before looking around the shop at all the weapons. "Alright, tell me how you like it!" He said, turning his gaze to you. "Umm... smooth, light, and easy to grip?" You replied, nervously. "Hmm..." He eyed you up and down for a moment, thinking. You shifted your gaze around the room again, looking at the weapons, somewhat shy about how he was observing you.

After a minute he finally spoke. "I think I have something perfect for you!" The shopkeeper went in the back of his store and came back out about a minute later. The sword had a simple design of a black and blue checkered hilt while the blade was dark with a beautiful blue design running along it. The design faded into a lighter color as it went up the blade as well. You stared at it in awe as he handed it to you to try out, you swung it a couple times in front of you and twirled it around. "How much is it?" You questioned, curiously looking up at him. "5000 Gil." He told you. You sighed quietly at this, knowing it was too good to be true. Genesis leaned over to Angeal and Sephiroth, whispering to them, but you paid no mind to it.

Before you could decline, Angeal went up to him and gave him the money making you stare at him in shock. "Angeal! You don't have to!" You said, shocked that someone would actually spend so much gil on you. "Don't worry about it, SOLDIER get paid a lot more than this." He replied with a reassuring smile. Before you could refuse, Angeal had already given him the money, and the sword was yours. "Thanks, Angeal..." You said still shocked, making him chuckle. "No problem, Mekina." Then when you all were about to leave, the shopkeeper stopped you, asking if he could have Sephiroth's autograph. Sephiroth sighed under his breath before signing the piece of paper. Once that was done, you all went back to Shinra HQ.


	17. Chapter 17

**I'm sorry for the wait you guys! :( The next chapter will be out soon I promise! (I would do it now, but i'm a bit too tired for that... need sleep and school's tomorrow... bleh) I hope you like this though :O Disclaimer: I own none of this, except for Mekina. Everything rightfully belongs to Square Enix/Soft.**

You all walked in silence for about fifteen minutes until you arrived at the entrance of Shinra HQ. But before you could enter the building, Sephiroths PHS rang, he pulled it out of his pocket and brought it to his ear. "Alright." Sephiroth closed it, then placed it back in his pocket. "Lazard wants Genesis and I in his office." Sephiroth said as they went inside and toward the elevator while you stopped by the stairs. "It could be about Wutai... I better leave to train Zack, I think I've kept him waiting long enough." Angeal said, smirking. "I guess I'll go to my room then... good luck, guys."

They said their farewells and all of you parting separate ways, except for Genesis and Sephiroth. You gave a little wave before turning around and ran over to the elevator, going to the SOLDIER floor. When you arrived at your destination you walked through the halls until you got to your dorm, then went into your room and locked the door. You walked over to the end table next to your bed and placed your new sword on it, then examined yourself for a moment, soon feeling a bit disgusted. _I'll take a shower. I really need to get this dried blood off me._ You went over to your closet wondering if you had anything in it.

When you opened it you saw several SOLDIER uniforms neatly hanged up. You grabbed one and walked into the bathroom and placed it on the counter before taking off your clothes. You turned on the shower and stepped in, shivering lightly as soon as the water touched your skin. The water soon changed to red as you slowly began to feel clean again. You spun around, trying to get rid of all the blood, but when the water hit your burnt hand you hissed in pain. You instantly moved your hand away from the water and stared at it, bringing your other wet hand up to softly touch it, trying to get use to the stinging.

_I have to get it cleaned or else it could get infected..._ you slowly put your hand back into the water and stayed in the shower for a few more minutes until you got out. Going over to the rack on the wall, you grabbed a towel and began to dry yourself. When you were finished, you went over to the clean clothes and changed into them. After that you opened up the medicine cabinet and put ointment on your burnt hand, then wrapped it up gently in a bandage before picking up your clothes with a sigh. You placed your clothes on the ground and went over to your bed, fell on your back and looked at the ceiling, thinking about what happened today.

"They were holding back too much... even Genesis." You said to yourself. Even though he did hurt you, it could have been worse. Part of you knew that if he didn't hold back, then you never would have been able to hurt him. You held your bandaged hand in front of you, debating whether or not you should go to Hojo or not. If I go, then things won't turn out too well, but if I stay, then I'll have to deal with this pain for a while... I'll just endure it. You rolled over on your side and looked at your clock, 4:27 pm. Then you turned your gaze to the window and stared at the sky for a few minutes, before closing your eyes, slowly falling asleep.

...

Your eyes slowly fluttered opened, instantly welcomed to the dimly lit room caused by the moonlight entering your window. You blinked a couple of times, getting use to the darkness, before rubbing away the sleepiness from your eyes. When you pulled your hands away, you looked at the clock that read 2:34 am. "Wow, I almost slept for about eleven hours." You mumbled, slowly moving into a sitting position. You slid your legs to the side of your bed and stood up stretching until you froze for a moment, then groaned, falling back onto the bed. _I have training today, but I'm still sore from yesterday's training!_ You felt your muscles get even more sore with each of your movements.

_If I remember right, training starts at 7:00 and breakfast is at 6:00,_ you stared at the ceiling. After a few minutes of just laying there you finally decided to move and stood up again, and went to the bathroom to brush your teeth, fix hair, et cetera. When you were done, you walked over to the little white end table and grabbed your sword, placing it on your back. You went over to your closet and opened the door so you could look at yourself in your mirror. Once you opened it you turned around and looked over your shoulder in the mirror, and held the hilt over your shoulder, posing. You smiled at how light it was then closed the closet door and glanced at the clock once again. 3:42 am. _I guess I could go for a walk until breakfast is ready..._

You walked out of your room, gently closing your door so you wouldn't wake the others. When you went into the hall the only source of light was from the moonlight that shone in the windows. Quietly, you walked out of the dorm and went around through the halls. After a few minutes of walking you decided to just sit down and watch the sky. You sat down with your legs bent in front of you and your arms were crossed, resting on your stomach. You gazed at the moon shining brightly over Midgar as the clouds gently blew by in the breeze. You then switched your gaze to the stars twinkling brightly every now and then. "It's so beautiful..." You muttered softly to yourself, completely unnaware of the presence that was walking down the hallway.

"Aren't you suppose to be in bed, Mekina?" You slightly jumped, not expecting anyone else to be up. Slowly you came back to reality, and looked in the persons direction. "I woke up a few minutes ago." You replied, trying to act calm. Genesis smirked a bit when he noticed you jump, then turned to the window watching the clouds slowly pass by. "I could also say the same to you." You said, looking back out the window as well. "Sephiroth and I just came back from our mission." He replied, simply. "Was it about Wutai like Angeal said?" You asked, trying to start a conversation. He replied with a short nod before walking over to you and stopping a few feet away to lean against the wall.

"What happened?" You asked curiously. He stayed silent for a moment. "They attacked another Shinra Facillity." Genesis replied, crossing his arms. "I wonder why they're doing this..." You said quietly. He didn't respond for a few minutes, almost as if he was deep in thought. "Shinra offered them mako to make their lives easier, but they refused. Wutai seems to believe that it will make them suffer more then they are now." Genesis said, breaking the silence. You looked up at him. "I don't understand..." You were quite confused to say the least. _It's been proven that mako helps peoples every day lives. How can they think something like that will make them suffer? _That was the only thing that ran through your head at the moment.

He glanced down at you, "You are so naive... since they believe that it will make people suffer, that's why they attempted to destroy our facilities to make sure others don't suffer as well." Genesis said, sliding down the wall and sitting with one leg bent and the other stretched out with an arm draped over his bent leg. "So, is this war ever going to end?" You asked, staring intently into his bright mako eyes. He didn't respond, he just stared into your eyes silently, but after a moment he spoke once again. "With all these attacks they keep doing... perhaps not." He answered calmly. "The president is a very stubborn man, I doubt even he will lighten up on them. Not until he gets what he wants." You sighed softly, breaking your gaze away from his and staring back out the window at the sky that appeared to be slightly brighter.

The hallway became silent again as you both gazed at the sky, until you broke the silence. "Aren't you tired since you just came back from your mission?" You asked. "Not really." He replied before taking out LOVELESS. Several more minutes passed and you started to feel a bit sleepy again. You looked over at Genesis as he flipped through another page and crawled over to him, then sat next to him reading some of it. You noticed him become slightly tense, but paid no mind to it. "So who's this goddess?" You asked, looking up at him after reading for about one minute. "The goddess of Gaia." He spoke quietly, relaxing a bit. You slowly nodded your head before looking back down, reading some more.

After a while, you turned your head back up and looked back out the window, rubbing your eyes a little. "Tired?" Genesis asked, turning the page. "Reading makes me tired." You closed your eyes. "I don't like reading that much." Genesis looked at you as if you were insane and you opened your eyes, looking at him when a few seconds of silence passed. When you saw the look on his face you laughed making him roll his eyes a bit before looking back down to read again. "What is the gift of the goddess?" You inquired, looking at him. "...It is a gift in itself, pondering the gift of the goddess." Genesis said, poetically. You stared at him for a second, and held your hand in front of your mouth so he couldn't see you smiling, "That sounds so... nevermind." He smiled a little as he flipped to another page.

"Do you mock me?" He questioned, looking at you through the corners of his eyes. "Maybe." You replied putting your hand down, and tilted your head back against the wall, faint smile still in place. He turned his gaze back to his book. More silence came, and you were leaning closer to Genesis so you could read LOVELESS again. It became sort of... interesting. You began to lightly doze off after a few minutes, and rested your head against his shoulder. He stopped reading and looked at you, then looked out the window at the sky that was slowly starting to light up even more each moment, knowing that many people would be walking through the halls very soon. Genesis closed his book and placed it in his pocket before picking you up, carrying you to your room.

Genesis walked for a few minutes until he made it to your dorm, then soon found which room was yours by looking at a clipboard hung on the wall in the main room, before quietly moving through the halls to your room. The SOLDIER opened the door, went over to your bed, and gently placed you down. He looked over you for a moment before turning his head to look at your clock. 4:46 am. He turned around and walked a few steps to the door until he heard you in your sleep. "Genesis... you're such a... pyro..." You mumbled softly as you shifted positions, now laying on your side, facing the window. Genesis looked over his shoulder at you for a few seconds before walking out of the room, chuckling.


	18. Chapter 18

**Finally this chapter's out! :D Sorry for the wait... again :/ Disclaimer: I own none of this, except for Mekina. Everything rightfully belongs to Square Enix/Soft. Enjoy? :)**

When Genesis was about to close your door, you briefly murmured more in your sleep once again. He instantly came to a stop, listening to you. "Please, stop it... ow!" You began to squirm a bit, making Genesis look back over his shoulder at you with a raised brow. After a moment of thinking to himself, he softly closed your door and silently walked back over to you. "Stop... I... don't want to hear anymore!" Genesis stared over your form curiously. You began to shake as several tears rolled down your cheeks. Genesis put his hand on your shoulder and began shaking you as more tears came. This continued on for a few more seconds until your glassy eyes opened.

_It was just a bad dream..._ You felt warmth on your shoulder for a bit until it disappeared, and heard some movement on your left. Turning your head in the direction of the noise, you saw Genesis standing by your bedside, looking at you in silent question. "You were having a nightmare, so I woke you." He said, answering the unspoken question you were about to ask. You moved into a sitting position and wiped your face, embarrassed that he saw you in this state. "Thanks..." You mumbled silently. "No problem." It seemed like he wanted to say something else, but decided against it. "You want to ask me about my dream, right?" You asked, looking at him from the corner of your eye. He hesitantly gave a short nod.

You closed your eyes, trying to come up with a way to explain what happened. "When I was a kid, I would wander through different towns since my... parents died... and I would have to steal things to live. Every now and then, I would get caught though." You opened your eyes and looked at him. "If they caught me, sometimes they would hurt me and say insulting things... but in my dream this drunk guy insulted my parents, calling them names and saying that they never loved me and that was why I was on the streets." You looked out the window as anger began to build up inside you. Genesis noticed a change in your mood, but stayed silent watching you.

"But that time I was probably asking for it... I thought he would be an easy target to steal from since he was drunk, but I was wrong. He abused me for about an hour that night." You closed your hand into a tight fist. "I tried to fight back, but I was too weak and he just hit me even harder... and that's when you woke me up." You loosened your fist, slightly feeling a bit better talking about what happened. Although the anger, not as strong as before, still remained. "Never would have thought you had that kind of past from the way you act," Genesis mused to himself.

"But if you don't mind me asking, how did your parents...?" Genesis didn't say the last part, knowing you knew what he meant. You lowered your gaze to your lap, thinking about your adoptive and birth parents. He noticed the look in your eyes. _I guess... It's alright to tell him everything like I did with Zack,_ you thought looking up at him, the anger inside of you slowly being replaced with a completely different emotion. Relief? Or maybe peace? You had to admit though, you felt a little more relaxed talking about this topic. "Okay, i'll tell you everything. But it will be kind of long." You told him softly, earning his full attention.

...

"After I found out my mom died I ran away from the village, and walked for a while until I saw a town." You were now resting your back against the wall on your bed, and Genesis was sitting on the ground, listening to your every word. "I'll skip the part about stealing and getting hurt since you already know of it." You looked up at the ceiling, resting an arm on your knee. "I went to a few towns before coming to Midgar, and that was when I heard about SOLDIER and I instantly wanted to join to become strong like the 1sts." You said, smiling when you heard Genesis chuckle.

"So I trained for several years and got minor jobs around town of fighting off monsters that were of any threat," You paused for a moment, "The people who would hire me didn't have enough money to ask SOLDIER for help, so they would occasionally ask me." You added, having a feeling that he would ask about that. "And when I thought I was strong enough to join, I came here and passed the tests... and now, I'm here." You finished, then looked at your clock. 5:42 am. He followed your gaze and stood up. He looked back to you as a smirk appeared on his face, "So, you think i'm a pyro, Mekina?" He asked as you got off your bed, standing up as well, and looked at him confused. "You were talking in your sleep."

You stared at him for a few seconds and a slight blush rose on your face. He gave a short laugh upon seeing this which caused you to rolled your eyes at him. "What else did you hear?" He replied with a shake his head before walking out of your room. You watched him walk out for a moment before following soon after grabbing your sword, placing it on your back. "And yeah, I think you're a pyro." You replied running by his side with a smile. He just made a 'hn' noise. "You know it's true!" You teased, walking out of the dorms and down the hall. He sighed in annoyance, turning his head to you, "I'm not obsessed with fire." He told you before turning forward again. You stayed quiet for a few seconds, then looked at him from the corner of your eye.

"Seems like it when you fight..." You spoke under your breath. Looking down at his hand, you noticed it was glowing red. He looked up at you and you stared at him in shock for a moment before quickly running down the hall. He smiled slightly as he made the glow disappear. "You know, I wasn't really going to burn you... I'll save it for the next time you train with us." He said as you stopped at the end of the hall. "Well, that's sweet of you." You said sarcastically, making his smile turn into a smirk. The two of you continued down the halls to the cafeteria, and you couldn't help but feel that strange emotion from before come back. You just couldn't place your finger on it...

**At the Cafeteria**

Genesis and you arrived at the cafeteria early, and barely anyone was there, except for two people. The two of them looked at you both as you approached, and the second they saw Genesis they seemed surprised and quickly saluted him in respect as he passed by before going back to there conversation, glancing at you both occasionally. Genesis paid no mind to them. You looked at your PHS, wondering how much more minutes you had to wait. "I hope they actually give us real food this time." You muttered, with a sigh.

"For as long as I can remember, they never had normal food." Genesis told you. "How long has that been?" You asked. "Well, I came here when I was a little younger than you are." This surprised you. "But over the years I've heard they changed a few things." After hearing this, you gave him a curious look. "You sound like you haven't been here in a while." You noted. "I haven't." He smirked. "There are many benefits that come with being a 1st." You gaped at this, making him laugh.

**Several Minutes Later**

Genesis and you were seated at a table and staring at the food they expected you to eat. It looked like it was some kind of salad, except mushier. Some of it was even different colors like red, white, and purple, and there was 'dressing' on top as well as some colorful berries. "Umm... I think a berry in mine is moving." You glanced warily at an orange one rolling around on its own on your plate. Genesis looked at your plate, then looked at your face before snickering. You rolled your eyes. "I think the 'berries' are alive." Genesis said, pushing his plate away from him, you nodded your head in agreement. "I'm not that hungry anyway." You said, standing up and throwing your food in the trash and he did the same.

You looked up at the clock on the wall and it read, 6:14 am. You sighed not wanting to go to training yet, and you both walked out of the cafeteria. While you both walked down the hall Genesis noticed the wrappings around your hand. "Why don't you go to Hojo or Hollander to get that healed?" He questioned. You blinked a couple of times before you stopped walking and looked at your hand, shrugging lightly, "I... don't want to be near Hojo." You said, then realized that he said another professor's name. "Hollander?" Slight realization ran through Genesis' eyes. "Ah, you have not met him yet. Come with me." Genesis said, turning back around and walking down the hall toward the elevator with you following.

**At Hollander's Lab**

You sat on the examining table waiting for Genesis and Hollander's conversation to end. You reached your other hand up, unwrapping the bandages to reveal your burnt hand. It didn't even look like it healed much. The area where Genesis had your hand was white, swollen, and dry. To be honest, you didn't even really feel much of your hand. "Well that's not as bad as I thought it would be. Just 3rd degree burns..." You felt your eye twitch at his words. _Just 3rd degree burns!_ You quickly looked up at him as he took your hand, analyzing it. He let go of your hand, pulling a shot out of his lab coat then walked over to a mako tube filling it up, then walking back to you.

"Hold your arm out." He told you. Obeying, you did so, and he pulled out a small towlet dabbing your arm before placing the needle in. You tightly closed your eyes, as the pain slowly went through your whole arm and down to your hand. You opened your eyes, watching your hand as it healed slowly. "Your arm will be numb for a few minutes." Hollander said, walking over to a table and placing the shot on it before turning around and looking at Genesis. "It's about time for another check up, Genesis." Hollander said. Genesis let out a quiet sigh. Hollander looked at you, "You can stay in here as long as you don't touch anything." You gave him a short nod, now watching Hollander pull out another needle. He didn't fill it with mako though and just went over to Genesis.

"Take off your jacket." Genesis hesitated a moment, before slipping it off his shoulders, and placing it on the table he was standing by. _Whoa, Genesis has nice arms... makes me wonder what his stomach looks like,_ your eyes widened at those thoughts and a blush rose on your cheeks as an image of a shirtless Genesis ran through your head. _Damn you, puberty._ You shook your head and closed your eyes, trying to get rid of the thoughts. After some time, you looked up and watched Genesis get his check up. _A 1st class SOLDIER getting a check up..._ you let out a small laugh, making them both look at you with a raised eyebrow. You just shook your head at them and stayed silent as they shrugged it off.

Hollander put the needle in Genesis' arm, and, not surprisingly, he doesn't make any movement or facial expression showing that it hurt him. When Hollander took the needle away it was filled with his blood, then he went over to some small containers, and put the blood in a tube. When he was done he turned around and went to his desk and slipped the tube in so he could read the information, "Hmm... Interesting." Hollander said after a few minutes, then turned back around to Genesis. "You'll have to take that top off for me to do the next part." Hollander said, making Genesis furrow his eyebrows. You felt your face become warm, and you turned away from them.

Lifting your legs onto the examining table, you spun around so your back was to them before putting them back down on the other side. Little did you know that Genesis was watching you from the corner of his eye the whole time, slightly amused. You heard the sound of clothing being taken off and felt your face become even warmer along with the temptation to look at him. You hesitantly looked over your shoulder, unnoticed, at Genesis. By now you were sure your face was as red as a cherry. He had the most toned stomach you had ever seen. He looked so firm and yet soft at the same time, you couldn't take your eyes off him. Hollander had placed something over his chest where his heart was suppose to be, and told him to do a couple of push ups and sit ups.

Genesis started with push ups then moved onto the sit ups, accomplishing both nonstop within the time limit of maybe one or two minutes. You watched him do this for about 10 seconds, before turning away and staring at a tube filled with mako. Your heart eventually calmed down and your blush was gone by the time he finished what he had to do. "We're done for now." Hollander said, taking off the heart rate thing, and Genesis put back on his clothes. You heard the sound of clothing being put back on and after it stopped, you then heard Genesis' voice. "You can turn around now, Mekina." Genesis said. You could tell he was smirking from the way he said it.

You brought your legs onto the table again and spun around, facing him with that smirk you had imagined on his face. Hollander began to put the information on his computer, "I'll be calling you in later if I need to take more tests on you, Genesis." He said, still typing away on the computer. "You may leave now." Hollander added. You got off the table and walked out of the room with Genesis. "Well, that was... awkward." You said, glancing at your still slightly burnt hand. Genesis didn't respond, he just stared at your face in amusement, "You're blushing." You quickly turned your back to him so he couldn't see your face anymore. "I'm gonna go train now." You said walking away before peeking at him over a shoulder. "See ya." Genesis waved to you, before turning around and continuing down the hall.

**At Training**

"Today we will be doing something a little different!" The instructor yelled, getting all of your attention. "I'll be teaching you about bombs and how to tell them apart." Several people groaned. "But isn't being in SOLDIER using swords and not bombs?" Someone asked. "Isn't that what the Turks are for?" A SOLDIER near you muttered under his breath. "Yes, but you will run into enemies that will use bombs, and you'll need to tell them apart in order to live! Now listen up!" All of you straightened up quickly. "Sir, yes sir!"

"Now the first one is this." He made a signal and a bomb dropped, followed by a big flash making everyone blind. Almost everyone was practically screaming their lungs out. "Shut up! Don't scream or the enemy will know where you are! Damn, 3rds..." Another teacher yelled at you all, standing next to your instructor. _Jeez, he takes things too seriously, I mean we're not even under attack!_ You thought as your instructor explained what to do when that bomb happens. "Now the next bomb is a poison bomb."

"Oh no! He's not gonna seriously drop that one is he?" A boy in front of you asked, earning worried looks from the people around him. "I hope not." You muttered. "You'll know which ones filled with poison because it makes a whistling noise as it drops... demonstration!" The instructor exclaimed and the second you all heard the whistling, everyone screamed once again. "Calm down! It's just tear gas!" The other teacher yelled, but all of you didn't hear him since you were screaming too loud.

"Silence! All of you!" He yelled and you all began to settle down a bit, and some people even began to laugh, including you. "This is actually kinda fun." A 3rd laughed as some people around him agreed. "When you all hear this you will be having a mask with you. When you put it on, make sure it has a suction, or else the poison could get through! Also make sure that your not wearing contacts, 'cause if it gets under them, then it could burn your eyes out! Do I make myself clear!?" Your Captain yelled. "Sir, yes sir!"

"Now the final bomb is the one that sounds like an explosion, but we won't do that one here for good reasons." He then added, "But when you hear that, just drop to the ground for cover or hide." Everyone kind of gave the Captain a blank stare when they heard those words, "Now I hope all of you paid attention since you'll be doing a test with these bombs in the forest tonight." The teacher next to yours said before you all moved on to get the rest of your training done.


	19. Chapter 19

**My apologies for the shortness of this chapter and the wait, but I hope you guys like this part! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon :] And I just want to thank those of you that reviewed and favorited the story! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Mekina**

**7:00 PM**

"I will be your Instructor for now so listen up!" A man ordered. He had black hair a little above his shoulders with bangs covering half of his right eye. "You have exactly one hour to get through this forest in one piece! I won't repeat any of the rules so you're on your own from now on! Now go!" With slight hesitation, you entered the dark forest, following behind the others. Everyone either tried to stay together in a big group or went on their own. You ran for about two minutes until a bright light flashed, blinding all of you, several people screamed in shock from the sudden light.

A few others, including you, quickly shielded your eyes the second the forest lit up the slightest bit, so it didn't effect you too much. You went on ahead leaving behind the ones that were temporarilly blinded and kept on running along with the ones who listened. "I wonder which bomb will be next?" A SOLDIER a few feet ahead of you asked. "I hope it's not the poisonous one." Another SOLDIER said on your left. Just as he said that all of you heard the whistling, "Ahh! You jinxed us!" Someone yelled behind them as he pulled on his mask, and all of you did the same - or at least tried to. "Ahh! My eyes!" A SOLDIER in front of you cried out in pain. "Hey! It should just be tear gas, so there's nothing to worry about!" A 3rd called to him.

Pausing for a moment, he then added. "Unless... are you wearing contacts?" The teen nodded in pain. "Take them out! Hurry or it will make your eyes become blind, or something like that!" Someone else said before running through the forest a bit faster than the rest of you. The SOLDIER dropped to the ground, taking them out, hoping that the stinging sensation would subside. Sadly it was not the case, and the pain only became even worse. You jumped over him, and not too long after, heard another explosion in the distance, followed by faint screams. _I always wanted to do this._ "Man down, man down!" You yelled as loud as you could.

_There should at least be medics around here somewhere, right? _Although, you had to admit that you felt bad for just leaving him behind like that. You caught up to the rest of the group. "Now we'll have to deal with the explosive one." One of them muttered under his breath. All of you ran for a few minutes, until a loud explosion rang through your ears, and the ground began to shake, making most of you drop to the ground. A few seconds later, when the ground finally stopped shaking, you all got up and began to run once again.

**One Hour Later**

You safely made it through the forest with the group of four or five people, panting. After you got past a certain part of the forest, the bombs started coming faster and faster. "Good job, SOLDIER's!" The instructor smiled, giving one of you a pat on the back. "If you have any injuries go to a medic, and if not, then return to HQ." He added before turning his gaze to some SOLDIER's that just arrived, then began approaching them. "Yes sir!" All of you saluted him before going to either a medic or back to HQ. Luckily you didn't have any serious injuries.

Just several scrapes and cuts on your arms and face when you dropped on the ground for cover. You decided to see a medic anyway, just to be on the safe side. You wouldn't want any infections, now would you? When a medic finally got to you, you were half expecting them to inject you with mako, but that didn't seem to be the case. They sprayed disinfectant over your injuries before bandaging you up a bit and letting you go. Giving them thanks, you left the area and went back to HQ. _It should take at least twenty minutes or so to get back to Midgar_...

When a cool breeze past you, you wrapped your arms around yourself, feeling a little chilly. After walking for several minutes you finally got out of the forest, and saw Midgar in view. You slowed your pace, admiring the same scenery you saw earlier that day with Genesis, but from a different angle this time. You began to run the conversation you had with him through your mind, pondering over what he told you about Wutai. "I still don't get how using mako will make them suffer..." You murmured as you continued to near Shinra HQ at a calm pace.

...

When you and most of the other SOLDIER's returned, you all had a quick dinner before going to your rooms. After opening your door and locking it, you instantly took your sword off your back and placed it gently against the wall beside your bedside. You were too tired to do anything else besides slip off your boots, crawl in bed, and pull the covers over you, wanting nothing more than to get a good night's rest. The moment your head hit the pillow you fell into a dreamless, peaceful, sleep...

**...**

Blinking yourself awake, you glanced at your clock. 5:06 am. You sat up and gave a little stretch, making a popping noise as you moved in different directions before going into the bathroom to do your daily routine. When finished, you grabbed the remote to your television and laid on the couch, flipping through random channels. When you heard a channel you just passed talking about Wutai, you quickly changed back to it and sat up, eyes filled with interest. "We have just recieved a message about Wutai attacking another facillity in the town of Mikoren." A few seconds after the reporter said that, an alarm went off everywhere at HQ, making you jump and cover your enhanced ears.

"Uh oh..." You slowly removed your hands from your ears, and turned the television off before going over to your sword, placed it on your back, then slid your PHS in your pocket before running out of the room and into the hall. Some 3rds were already readey while others were struggling to put on their uniforms and get their swords. "Come on, SOLDIERs! We're going to Mikoren!" A voice called from the front of the dorms. "Sir, yes sir!" You all yelled over the alarm, following him out of the dorms and into the busy hallways filled with people rushing around. "Sir? Is everyone going to go to the facility?" A voice behind you asked tiredly. "Of course not! It was agreed upon that the 3rds would handle this for now!" The man responded as you all made your way through the halls. He happened to be a 1st.

_A decision like that made in this short amount of time? How can they put so much on weak 3rds just like that? What if we screw up? What if-_ You took in a shaky breath, trying to calm yourself down. With clenched fists, you followed your other fellow 3rds, ashamed of your thoughts and how weak minded you were at the moment. _Just try to stay calm... I won't be able to think rationally if I let my emotions get the better of me._ After somewhat recollecting yourself, you focused on the people in the halls giving orders. When all of the 3rds got outside and into the vehicals, along with their instructors, the vehicals engines instantly started before hastily leaving Shinra. By now, the nervousness had returned, and your knuckles were held so tightly that they were white.


	20. Chapter 20

**Things will be getting more interesting from hear on out. Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC.**

* * *

><p>The vehicle you were in was a big van with black armor over it and the Shinra HQ's logo on it. It held everyone who trained under your instructor, which was about twenty people. You looked out a little window at about five other vehicles similar to the one you were in, then lifted your gaze to the sky, feeling a little more at ease just by doing so. The sun was just beginning to rise when you left, so it had beautiful colors and shades of oranges mixed with the darker parts of the sky.<p>

"Long time no see." You heard a familiar voice say near you. Turning your head back, a smile slowly appeared on your face. "Hey Takamo!" He smiled for a moment before letting it fade and sat next to you, looking a little nervous. "Our instructor just told me that they were only sending the 3rd Class along with their teachers." Takamo told you. "I think they wanna see how strong we are with all this training we've had." He added, fidgeting a bit. You slowly nodded your head, then let out a small, reasurring smile.

"Don't be nervous, this should be easy for SOLDIER." You said trying to calm him. "I'm not nervous!" He stopped fidgeting and you just shrugged your shoulders, smiling. You were slightly calm for now. And saying those words made you feel a little better, knowing you needed to hear it as well. It reassured you in a way. _If they're only sending 3rds, then they have faith in our abilities of doing it... right?_ "Alright, 3rds! I'll be going over the plan now, so listen up!" Everyone became silent, listening intently to the instructor's every word.

**Twenty Five Minutes Later**

When your instructor was done explaining, the vehicle was still filled with silence, all of you running the plan through your heads. _So i'm with B unit and Takamo's in A..._ You looked out the window, watching the town come closer into view. At least the plan sounds easy. Soon the vehicle stopped "Now I want every single one of you to come back alive! Good luck, SOLDIER's!" Everyone stood up and saluted him. "Sir, yes sir!" All of you jumped out the doors, going into your units. You looked in Takamo's direction, both of you waving to each other before going your separate ways into Mikoren. Your unit entered through the entrance of town, searching for survivors and fighting off any Wutai you came across, that was your mission.

"The facility is around the middle of town." B Unit's leader said. There were Shinra operatives inside with some infantrymen that were suppose to guard them until the unit arrived to escort them out. "SOLDIER over here!" A voice called from above, and a second after, a group of about ten Wutai surrounded your unit, both of your groups were evenly numbered. "For Wutai!" They yelled, rushing forward with their weapons drawn. Everyone quickly took out their swords, blocking the attacks. You placed a hand on the blade, trying to add pressure before pushing the man away, then moved out of the way swiftly. The Wutai soldier had swung his sword down, aiming for your head.

You side stepped, missing the blade, then brought your sword beside you, and aimed it to his back, wincing a little as the sword hit against him. He grunted before whirling around, slashing his sword at you. Then you dropped to the ground with a tiny smirk, remembering what you did to Genesis. You laid on your back making the Wutainian look at you the same way Genesis did. "Do you mock me?" He asked angrily bringing his sword down on you again, but before he could, you kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying into another Wutai soldier. They both struggled to get up, but eventually came to a stop when a SOLDIER stabbed his sword through both of them at once. He waited for them to completely stop moving before taking out his sword, their blood coating the blade...

**After the Battle**

"Good work." The B unit leader said looking at everyone when the confrontation was over. Quickly, all of you continued to the center of town while finding and fighting Wutai groups or being found by them.

**In the Shinra Facility**

After B unit entered the facility it only took a couple of seconds before you instantly froze in place. _This is almost exactly like that room in the other facility! _You glanced around the room that had papers around the ground, computers broken, and traces of blood with a couple of bodies. The lights flickered on and off, making it look all the more eerie. "Come on." The leader said, walking up some stairs in the corner of the room. Everyone obeyed, but stayed silent. The higher up the stairs you went you began to hear voices and the clashing of swords. "Do you hear that?" Someone asked as the sounds became louder, but you couldn't make out what the voices were saying. "We have to hurry!" Another person said, running up the stairs with you all following.

In the next room, you saw a group of Wutai fighting the infantrymen, and all of you wasted no time in helping the infantrymen fight off Wutai. "SOLDIER's here!" You heard one of the infantrymen say in relief. "We'll handle them! Go and protect the operatives!" B unit's leader ordered them. "Yes sir!" They ran out of the room to do as they were instructed."This is where you'll meet your end, Shinra scumbags!" A Wutainian called out to your unit. "Long live Wutai!" Another one exclaimed before you all once again went into combat. _Shinra scumbags? They'll regret saying that..._ Raising your sword, you dashed towards one causing both of your weapons to connect.

He brought his leg up, kicking you in the side as hard as he could, which made you go a few feet back. You ignored the blow and rushed at him again, parlaying with his sword. You used all the force you had to make his sword point the ground, still connected with yours in an X, before removing one hand from the hilt and punching him in the face as hard as you could. He dropped his sword as he went back with a grunt. He looked up at you through narrowed eyes and rose up a hand. An ice began to form over your head before dropping down, making your eyes widen in shock. With little hesitation, you jump rolled out of the way, avoiding the magic as it collided into the floor.

The Wutainian grabbed his sword before rushing towards you. Not having enough time to move out of the way, you brought your sword above your head, and closed your eyes out of fear, waiting for the hit to come, but instead, you managed to block the impact. Hearing a low chuckle, you opened your eyes to see him sliding his blade over yours, slowly bringing it closer to your face, and you became wide eyed when he made it go faster. You tried to retaliate by pushing your blade upward, but he had the advantage, for he was looming over you. _Looks like I have no choice... _You hesitantly sat up a little and moved to the side as much as you could, the blade still drawing closer.

A few seconds after you moved, you felt the cold end embed itself into your shoulder. With a groan, you tightly shut your eyes as your breathing quickened, and within a few more painful seconds, he had you pinned to the wall. Opening your eyes again, you looked around the room at everyone else fighting before turning your gaze to him. "Any last words?" He questioned, staring down at you. You glared at him, "...You actually think I'm gonna let you kill me?" You said stubbornly as the warm liquid ran down your shoulder. "Take a look at the situation your in, SOLDIER." The Wutai soldier slowly brought the blade lower making the wound get bigger. You cried out in pain before raising up your sword, jabbing it through his chest.

His grip on the hilt of his sword became slack as blood came out of his mouth. He then fell backwards. You looked over him for a moment before slowly turning your gaze to the blade in your shoulder. Reaching a gloved hand to it, you attempted to pull it out. After about half a minute of tugging, it came out and you tossed it aside. Shakily rising to your feet, you went over to him to retrieve your sword, pulling it out of his body. You looked over the Wutainian's body as the battle around you began to die down, seeing something glimmer in his armor. Curiously, you walked over to him and kneeled down, reaching a hand to where the glimmer was and eventually pulled out a green materia. You looked back at his body for a moment, then stood up with the materia in your hands.

"I guess I'll take this..." You sighed before bowing your head a little to the man. You turned back around to everyone else, trying to ignore the pain in your shoulder. "Once we get to the operatives, we'll take them back to Shinra HQ." The leader told everyone, going in the direction the infantrymen went. All of you ran through halls opening doors searching for them. "Found 'em!" A SOLDIER called out. Everyone ran to him and went in the room. Your B unit Leader spoke first. "We have to take you to Shinra HQ, you'll be safer there." He told them. "Understood." One of them said with a nod. There were about seventeen operatives.

"Let's go." He walked out of the room with them following close behind. You then heard a little gasp, and looked behind you. A woman was looking at your shoulder. "You shouldn't be moving, miss!" She said, making everyone look at her, then to you. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." You reassured her. She looked like she was about to say something, but your leader spoke up. "She's right. We aren't normal humans so it shouldn't be a problem... we are enhanced, after all." He came over, examining your shoulder, "Although... you should have told us you were hurt." He added. "Sorry, sir." You apologized quietly. He looked over you for a moment then gave you a short nod before continuing on through the building with the rest of you.

All of you walked for several minutes until you were outside, you all froze in place when you heard a strange noise in the distance. "We have to get them to the vehicles, now!" The leader ordered as all of you ran to your destination. You ran in this formation, SOLDIER - Operatives - Infantrymen. The noise grew louder and in the distance you saw a giant monster. The Leader turned around facing the operatives and infantrymen, "Infantrymen, take the operatives to the vehicles! They're on the outskirts of town in the East!" He ordered, "Sir, yes sir!" The infantrymen saluted, before escorting the operatives. "And we'll handle the monster." The leader took his sword off his back and the rest of you doing the same.

You still had the materia in your hand, and curiously glanced at it, wondering how to use it. "Ah, you found materia? Here this is how you do it..." A voice in front of you said. You looked up at a boy around your age with dark brown hair that was held back with a tie. He gently took it out of your hands and held your arm out. He pressed it to your arm, letting it slowly go in it. You watched in amazement. "Whoa!" You were shocked to say the least. He chuckled a little before letting your hand go. You looked up at him. "Thank you." You smiled. "I'll give you a quick lesson on how to use it..." When he was done explaining you both joined the others in fighting the monster. It was a pale grey with a hunched over back, big round head, black empty eyes, and had long fangs and claws. You shook a little when you got even closer.

It looked like it was about fifteen feet tall. Tightening your grip on your sword you, and the boy, both jumped towards it, attempting to land on its back when it was swinging its claws at several SOLDIER's. As you came closer you both got your swords above your head in a good stabbing position. You both landed on it a few seconds later. It roared as it was impaled, and threw its head back and the two of you had to tighten your hands around your swords when it began to move around like crazy, trying to get you off. His wild movements made you wince in pain since it was making your shoulder hurt even more. "Use the materia!" The boy called to you, "A-Alright!" You raised your hand up, feeling a strange pulse move throughout your arm. Feeling a chill run out your hand, a blizzard fell on top of the creature. Now part of its back was frozen, but this seemed to make it move even crazier than earlier.

You quickly tried to hold onto the hilt again, but couldn't, your eyes widened in fear as you felt your other hand begin to lose grip. "I can't hold on much longer!" A few seconds after you said that, you lost your grip. "Crap!" He exclaimed when he saw you fall. You cried out as you were thrown to the right, and harshly hit the ground, rolling several times until you came to a stop. For a moment, you just stayed in place, catching your breath with a hand clasped on your shoulder, before slowly standing up, looking up at the monster. You then looked at your sword that was still embedded in its back.

Rejoining your comrades on the ground, you stood near them, trying thinking of a way to get your sword back. "Are you alright?" Your leader asked. "Yeah." You nodded your head a little before watching the some of the SOLDIER's fighting the monster for a moment. Taking several steps forward, you raised your hand up to it again, and felt the same force move through your arm. The ice fell against its arm this time. One of the SOLDIER's smirked and rushed to its arm, slashing it to pieces. The monster roared in agony upon losing its limb and attacked the SOLDIER with its other arm. Barely evading the fatal blow, he quickly jumped backwards.

A few seconds after that, you saw the boy on its back go flying in another direction. "Oh man..." You muttered and turned back to the monster just as it was about to hit several of you with its clawed hand. The ten of you moved out of the way as fast as you could, successfully escaping the creature's wrath once more. Said creature roared in anger and held its arm out, a black glow appearing in the palm its hand. Slowly, it began to grow in length, stopping when a long spear was formed. "What the hell..." Someone near the back of the group said as the creature swung for everyone again. Quickly, you all went on the move, avoiding the attack, and soon surrounded the monster.

A SOLDIER jumped to the monster's head, bringing his sword across its face which only left a long, deep cut on its cheek, for it went back, missing most of his attack. It swung its spear around in anger, hitting several of you away, including you. What you didn't know was that the tip of the spear got part of your necklace, making it come off and thrown somewhere on the ground. You, along with the others, hit the ground, groaning. "Damn it, how do we beat this thing? We're just 3rd class!" Someone exclaimed. No one answered him. All of you knew he was right. Hell, even the Leader was a 3rd class, the instructor just picked the strongest ones to be leaders for each unit!

With narrowed eyes, you rose to your feet, and charged the monster before jumping onto its back, determined to get your sword back. You landed a few feet away from where your sword was stuck, and began to crawl to it, gripping onto its scales, which just made it go crazy once again. After about a minute of struggling, you got to your sword and tried to tug it out, knowing full well that this would just piss the damn thing off even more. It let out the loudest roar any of you heard yet, making you all wince painfully, wanting to cover your mako enhanced ears from the dreadful sound. This was torture.

When you finally got the sword out, you crawled over to the boys sword, and did the same. Once his was out, you tossed it down to him, and he caught it. "Thanks!" He called to you, smirking. You smiled at him before turning your attention back to the monster. By now the others were making it have even more injuries. Several other people jumped onto its back, trying to take it down from there, but it just wouldn't die, no matter how many hits it took. After about five minutes of attacking, you all got thrown off once again. "Damn!" The leader cursed under his breath. It seemed like all of your efforts were hopeless.

"We'll handle this." All of you heard a voice behind you, and looked back. Relief ran through your body and you relaxed. Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis were there. Two or three people sighed in relief while the rest just stared in shock. Everyone quickly turned their heads back to the monster when it let out another roar before swinging its spear at the group. All of you moved out of the way as the three 1st's stood in front of it, weapon's drawn before rushing towards the thing in a blur, attacking different parts of it.

It swung its spear at Angeal, which he easily blocked before pushing it back, bringing his sword against the monster's side. Sephiroth cut off its other arm, making blood splatter on the ground, and Genesis waved a hand around, casting flares upon it. All of the 3rd's stared in awe and shock at how easy it was for them to take it down. Angeal jumped behind it and brought his sword down, cutting open its back, while Genesis jumped in the air before stabbing his now glowing sword through the thing's chest, and Sephiroth swiftly cut it in half.

The monster stayed in place for a few seconds before falling apart to the ground, laying in a pool of its own blood. "Well that was easy." Genesis smirked lightly. You couldn't help but stare at the monsters motionless body for a moment before turning away from the sight, eyes closed. _So much blood... _Angeal turned to face all of you. "Good job, 3rd class. The operatives are safe." Angeal said, "Shinra is going to destroy this town in five minutes so you need to hurry to the vehicles." He added, crossing his arms.

"Destroy? Why?" Someone asked, looking back at the town, "Because Wutai knows about our facility... Shinra will rebuild this place later." Sephiroth answered, walking out of town toward the vehicles. "And Shinra doesn't want the media to know about this. They already know too much." Genesis added, putting something in his pocket. "Well, I did hear an instructor say that it was bad enough that it was on TV." Someone muttered to another 3rd. "Understood." The leader of your unit said. Everyone hurried out of town and entered the vehicles, swiftly departing back to HQ.

After about three minutes of driving everyone heard a loud explosion, and looked out the vehicles windows, watching Mikoren get bombed. About a minute passed until the explosions finally stopped, and all that remained was fire. After watching for a couple more minutes, you turned back around, pulling your PHS out of your pocket, 8:14 am. Slipping it back into your pocket, you looked around the vehicle for Takamo, eyes soon stopping in the corner of the vehicle. You both shared a smile.

"The president has decided to let all of you have a day off from training." Your instructor told everyone. "If any of you are hurt, raise your hand." He added, and almost everyone had their hands raised. Several people then began to go around, casting cures on them. Cure materia was able to heal most injuries, but if they were too serious, then it wouldn't be completely healed, and since you were stabbed all the way through the shoulder with a sword, your injury fell into this category. Reaching a hand to your shoulder when the cure was done, you massaged the injury, and rolled it a bit, feeling some pain. But it was tolerable.

When almost everyone was healed, you were about halfway to HQ. The rest of the way you just stared out the window up at the clouds, daydreaming. When you all arrived at Shinra HQ, your instructor stopped everyone before you left the vehicle. "There should be a little surprise in your rooms for the missions you've done." He smirked, making all of you exchange curious looks with one another before running out of the vehicle, some forgetting to even say 'yes sir'. He couldn't help but laugh, watching you all run to the dorms. All of you ran past the other vehicles, earning weird or amused looks from them.

"What if it's a new badass sword like a 1sts!" Someone exclaimed, happily. "Or an unlimited supply of hot pockets!" The 3rd class jokester exclaimed while running past a group of 1sts, including Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and some other guys. All of the 3rds looked at their faces when they heard those words, and couldn't help but laugh at their expressions. "Wonder why they're in such a hurry?" Angeal asked chuckling. "It's cause I just told them they have a 'surprise' in their rooms." Your instructor said, walking next to Angeal. "Ah, no wonder." Angeal smirked, lightly shaking his head from side to side.

**At Your Room**

Throwing the door open, you ran inside without hesitation and looked around eagerly like a small child at christmas time. Your eyes stopped on an envelope on the small coffee table in front of the couch. You walked over to it, sat down and began to open it then stuck a hand inside. Taking out whatever was inside, you soon discovered that gil and a little note rested in your hand. You gaped at the note.

_Here's your paycheck of 15,000 gil, Mekina, 3rd Class SOLDIER. Keep up the good work._

_From President Shinra._

"Awesome!" You grinned. _Now I can get new clothes and other stuff!_ You thought, remembering your old clothes you had to throw away. Taking the money, you went over to the bed, hiding most of it in your pillowcase, only keeping 5,000 gil with you. "I guess it'll be okay for me to leave my sword here..." Removing the sword from your back, you placed it on the table in front of your couch, then walked out of the room and out of Shinra HQ to the shopping district.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey everyone :) I just want to thank all of you for sticking with the story this far! And to those of you that reviewed, favorited, and alerted... -Hugs- Thank you so much! :D Constructive criticism is always appreciated by the way **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina, my OC.**

It took you about ten minutes to get to the shopping district and when you arrived it was filled with crowds of people. You sighed quietly. _This is an easy place for people to steal from... I have to be careful. _You casually slipped your hands in your pockets, looking for any clothing store that caught your eye. After a minute or two of walking around, you finally saw a store that peaked your interest and headed to it. It was rather easy to get ther, since the people around you took notice of your uniform and let you by, all the while whispering amongst themselves. You opened the door, instantly hearing the ringing noise that signaled a customer came in, and looked around.

Several groups of girls around your age looked at you. Whispers filled the store making you feel uneasy as you grabbed a basket near the entrance then walked calmly over to an area with clothing that interested you. As you went over, you walked by a couple of girls which made you able to hear a conversation about you. "A girl in SOLDIER? Why would a girl even want to join them?" A girl whispered to her friend. "Yeah, that's just... wow... but in a way I do kind of envy her." Her friend whispered, looking at you over a rack of clothes, but you pretended not to notice. "You're jealous? why?" Her friend shushed her since she got a little to loud. "Because there are a lot of cute guys in SOLDIER." She shyly whispered back.

"Oh, I get it, like Sephiroth!" The other giggled as her friend nodded her head, smiling. "And his two friends are cute too... wait, no! The three of them aren't cute! They're hot!" Both of the girls continued their conversation and after a minute you got bored listening. So far you only found a few things you liked, and made sure they were your right size before you went to the pants section. As you shifted locations, found yourself able to listen in on another conversation. "Damn it! I hate how there's hardly any girls in SOLDIER! This just makes her have a better chance at getting with one of the hotties!" A girl mumbled to her friends in annoyance.

_Gaia... are boys really all they can think about? _You shook your head and lifted some shorts off the rack. Quietly examining them for a moment, you decided to get them and placed it in your basket. "I bet the only reason she's in SOLDIER is to get the guys... as if she could. What a slut!" Another girl whispered as she saw you get the shorts. You looked at them from the corner of your narrowed eyes. "Whoa! Did she hear us?" One of them whispered in shock. "Of course she can! She's enhanced like the rest of them, after all..." One of them said as you glanced at each of them, scoffing. _They're one to talk. Don't they even know what their wearing?_

They were either wearing shorts shorter than the one you picked out or mini skirts and tops with major cleavage. "Damn hypocrites." You muttered under your breath as you picked out some more clothes to put in the basket. They knew since you were in SOLDIER you were able to fight, so they didn't say anything more, and hearing nothing else from them made you leave to the shoe section with a satisfied smirk. You already had the kind of shoes you wanted in mind, so once you found them in the right size, you went in the long line nervously. People just wouldn't stop staring at you because of your uniform, and you couldn't help but to feel awkward.

...

You paid the girl at the register the gil and quickly left the store, glad that was over with. When you got outside, you shifted the bags around in your arms while looking at your PHS for the time. 9:38 am. As you continued walking back to shinra HQ, another store managed to catch your attention. Eyes lighting up, you slowed your pace down to look at it. _Ooh, a music store... _Without a second thought you went in and looked around. _I guess I'll buy a mp3 and get some music onto it._ You smiled at the thought and went over to where you saw the mp3 players.

When you picked which one you wanted you went to the register and handed the gil to the boy. The mp3 was originally 300 gil, but so you could download songs onto it you had to pay an extra 100 to use one of the stores computers. "Here you go." He handed you the wires to plug it in, "Thank you." You smiled at him before going over to one of the computers, and started searching the web for as much free music you could find.

...

After spending about an hour in there downloading all the songs you possibly could, you happily left the store listening to one of your favorite songs, walking back to HQ. When you got inside of Shinra you quickly made way back to your room, and slipped your keycard through the door before nudging it with a shoulder, getting inside. You placed the bags on your bed, took out your clothes, and moved to put them in the closet. Once you finished, you finally closed the door and locked it as a thought occurred to you. _I haven't seen Zack in a long time... I wonder how he's doin-_ The thought was never finished as your gaze landed on the mirror along your open closet door.

Slowly stepping closer to it, you blankly stared at your bare neck, and after a few seconds, began to panic. "Where did my necklace go! Oh man, this can't be happening!" You exclaimed, hastily looking around your room for it. After what seemed like twenty minutes of searching for it, you sat on the foot of your bed, deep in thought of where you last had it. "Damn it, how can I be so careless? I never even realized how much it made me feel safe just by having it around..." You laid on your back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before closing your eyes, trying to recall some kind of memory of where you had it last.

_I know I had it this morning on the mission... what if I lost it there?_ The image of the town exploding ran through your mind. _Please don't let it be there..._ After some time, you eventually remembered what happened and opened your eyes with a gasp. _When we were fighting the monster that things weapon caught onto my necklace..._ You reached a hand up to where the necklace would have been, should have been, and closed your hand with a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, mother." Tears threatened to escape from the corners of your eyes, but you quickly blinked them away.

You sat up and looked around the messy room before somberly rising to your feet, starting to clean it. When you finished, you turned your head to the clock by your bed, 10:09. "Guess i'll just hang around the lounge..." You said to yourself. You put your mp3 in your pocket, and grabbed your sword, placing it on your back before walking out the room and down the hall to the 3rd class lounge. Two 3rd class were playing video games while several people sat around watching. Some were watching TV while some guys were showing off to their friends with sword tricks or materia that they just got. Someone was sitting on the ground playing his guitar while a few were just laying around relaxing.

Smiling a little, liking the atmosphere, you decided to watch TV. "What are you watching?" You sat next to a boy with dark brown hair that covered his right eye. He had his SOLDIER uniform on still. "I don't know, but it's funny. Keep watching then you'll see." He smiled at you before turning his gaze back to the screen, and you followed his gaze to the screen as well. After another minute, all of you who were watching bursted out laughing, then the credits appeared and a chorus of awws filled the corner of the room. Then South Park began to show, causing all of you to cheer.

...

"Oh my god! Kenny didn't die this time!" Just as Cartman said that, a lightning bolt came from the sky and shocked Kenny, killing him. This made everyone laugh once again before the show ended, quickly being replaced by some other show. Stomach beginning to growl slightly, you got off the couch and went over to the mini snack machine near the back of the lounge, and got a bag of chips for 5 gil. Hanging out with the 3rds had helped you calm your mind from losing your necklace which you were very grateful for.

When you finished, you walked out the lounge, throwing the bag into the trash can by the door, deciding to walk around for a bit. _If i'm lucky enough I might even be able to find Takamo, Zack, Sephiroth, Angeal, or Genesis._ As you entered the hall, you decided to go a way you never went before, and eventually came across an elevator. You passed it and went up some stairs, assuming the 1st class rooms would be higher up since you were already on the SOLDIER floor. You decided to go up a few more stairs out of curiousity and soon saw two SOLDER's with a 2nd class uniform when you made it to the top. They were talking about Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis and what happened earlier that day.

"I heard from some 3rd's that they saved them." They both chuckled, then the other one spoke. "I just saw them a few minutes ago, and they were actually talking about that. I heard they were going to the training room again since last time they got interrupted and had to help the 3rds..." Once you heard that, you couldn't hold back a smile and turned back around to go down the stairs, heading to the training room. After several minutes, you stood in front of the door and placed your keycard in, then went inside. The moment you entered, everything seemed to flicker for a split second, but it was very unnoticeable. At least to you it was.

You were in the same place like before and saw the three SOLDIER's in the distance by the big pipe. A gleam appeared in your eye as a thought came to you, and you began to walk silently behind them, wanting to sneak up on them. "Hey, Mekina." Angeal said, making you groan. "How did you know?" He chuckled, turning his head to the side, looking at you. "I could hear your faint footsteps." You sighed slightly before walking over to them, and leaning against the pipe next to Angeal. "We also saw a flicker that only happens when someone comes in." Genesis added with his head down to LOVELESS.

You turned to him, blinking in confusion. "Eventually you'll be able to notice it as well if you keep coming here." Sephiroth chuckled as you nodded your head at his words. The four of you sat in silence for a moment until Genesis broke it. "Hm, I almost forgot..." Genesis closed his book and got off the pipe, reaching into his pocket. He pulled his hand out and walked over to you and grabbed your hand, placing something in it. Curiously, you glanced up at him for a moment before looking back down, opening your hand. Surprise filled your eyes, and after a few seconds, a big smile appeared on your face.

"Thank you so much, Genesis!" Jumping off the pipe, you wrapped your arms around him tightly, and felt him tense up a little before hesitantly hugging you back. After a moment, you pulled away, put the necklace on, and smiled at him once again. "I owe you one." A smirk formed on his lips. "Fight us." Angeal gave him a look and Sephiroth watched from the corner of his eyes. Taking a step back to distance yourself from him, your smile turned into a smirk to match his. "Whatever you say." Genesis took out his rapier as you took your sword off your back. Angeal and Sephiroth exchanged glances. Sephiroth then pulled out his masamune making Angeal sigh as he took out his sword.

Sephiroth attacked Angeal and Angeal held his sword up, blocking it. Genesis swung his sword to your side and you turned your body towards the blade and held your sword in front of you, locking swords with his. From the corner of your eye, you watched Angeal and Sephiroth fighting for a few seconds before raising your leg, getting ready to do a side kick on Genesis, but he moved back instantly. You ran towards him, swinging your blade at his shoulder, but he brought his sword upwards into yours, pushing the blade away. Genesis circled his sword above his head, gaining speed, before slashing at you. Quickly, you dropped to a knee, missing his attack by one or two inches, before spinning around so your back was now facing to him.

Placing your hands on the ground, you lifted a leg up, kicking him away from you before he could attack again. Narrowing his eyes, he rushed you, and because of how fast he went, you only had enough time to spin back around and hold your sword in front of you, taking a defensive stance. Once you turned to him, his blade instantly made contact with yours, and he began to add pressure on his rapier, making you fall on your back since you were still in a kneeling position to begin with. _This is almost the same position the Wutai soldier had me in... I don't see any way for me to get out of this. _You examined him closely, searching for an opening, but found none.

He was too close for you to have enough room to kick him away, and even if you could, it wouldn't have much effect. As the blade came closer to you, your eyes slightly widen in remembrance and an uneasy smirk played on your lips. _Well, they did say not to hold back on them..._ Hesitantly, you removed one of your hands from the handle of your sword, resulting in both of your weapons to go lower on you. You faced your hand towards Genesis' chest, and lifted your gaze to look into his questioning eyes. Suddenly feeling how cold your hand was, his eyes widened, and in a flash, he was off of you.

In a rush, you rolled to the side as the blizzard dropped where you both use to be, and shattered, making Angeal and Sephiroth stare at you for a few seconds before continuing their battle. You rose to your feet, looking around for Genesis, and after a while you heard chuckling behind you, then followed by the sound of swords clashing. Quickly, you turned around and saw Sephiroth blocking Genesis' rapier with masamune. "Are you trying to kill her, Genesis?" Sephiroth questioned as you peered from behind him at Genesis. Genesis was about to say something, but Angeal beat him to it. "You just get too into these things, don't you?" Angeal crossed his arms.

"I'm sure she would have been able to defend herself!" That was the only thing Genesis said in his defense. He knew Angeal was right, but there was no way he would admit it. "One of these days, one of us could end up hurt. Or worse." Angeal scolded as Sephiroth and Genesis lowered their blades. You took a few unneasy steps forward, standing next to Sephiroth as Angeal began to lecture Genesis. You felt bad for him getting in trouble, even if he did almost harm you. It only happened because you used magic. _Next time no materia,_ you quietly noted to yourself.

...

After the lecture Genesis endured, the four of you relaxed on the pipe. Angeal leaned against the pipe while Genesis sat on it. Sephiroth was several feet away watching the scenery. You sat in between Angeal and Genesis and after a while you decided to tease Genesis when he cooled down a bit. "Thanks for almost killing me twice, Genesis." You teased, smiling at Sephiroth. You had a feeling Sephiroth's lips curved into a smirk even though you couldn't see it. Genesis rolled his eyes. "I was not going to kill you, I just wanted to see if you could escape the positions you were in." His eyes continued to scan a page in LOVELESS. "You don't think i'm strong enough to get out of those situations? Was that why you tested me?"

You couldn't help but smirk a little since he didn't know you already were in a life or death situation in one of those moves he did. "Perhaps." Genesis said, then changed the subject. "Where did you get that materia from?" He kept his gaze on LOVELESS as he spoke. "From a Wutai soldier... he had me in the same position where you were over me. But the way he did it was more deadly." Genesis raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "How so?" Genesis questioned. "He had the sword slanted pointing towards me, and he kept making it move forward." You paused wondering if you should say what else happened but after a few seconds decided to say it. "If I didn't move so it could go in my shoulder, then I probably wouldn't be here right now." You added quietly.

"Interesting... do you know how to take the materia out?" Sephiroth inquired, eyeing your shoulders. You shook your head. "It's bad to keep it in too long, so it would be best to take it out now." Worry flashed through your eyes and you held the arm that it was in out. "Don't scare her, Sephiroth." Sephiroth ignored Genesis' words and just walked over to you. Grabbing your arm, he placed his hand over where he could see the faint glow. After a few seconds the materia came out and he placed it in your hand. "Thanks." You smiled at him once again. "So all I have to do is hold my hand over it to get it out?" Sephiroth nodded his head.

"Also remember not to over do the materia." You raised an eyebrow curiously. "When you become higher in rank, you'll be able to use more materia. It's not good to equip too much, and don't use them all at once. Having too much can weaken your physical strength." You slowly nodded your head, taking in the information. Sephiroth turned back around walking back to where he was standing and watched the scenery. Through the whole conversation, Angeal was leaning against the pipe with his eyes closed appearing to be in deep thought. All of you stayed in silence for a quite a while, just ejoying the gentle breeze that blew against you, along with the view.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess. We seek it thus and take to the sky." You closed your eyes as the breeze picked up slightly, and leaned back a little. "Ripples form on the waters surface, the wandering soul knows no rest." Sephiroth turned around, looking at Genesis before taking several steps forward. "LOVELESS act I." Sephiroth was still holding masamune from the fight earlier. "Hmph... you remembered." Genesis closed his book and placed it on the pipe he was sitting on before getting off of it, looking at Sephiroth. By now, Angeal had opened his eyes and was watching them both.

"How can I not, when you've beaten it into my head?" Sephiroth tapped his head with a finger before raising masamune up and slashing it through the air downward, as if saying 'fight me'. Angeal grabbed his sword, and you jumped off of the pipe, grabbing your sword as well while Genesis held his rapier in front of him, pointing it upwards with his eyes closed. "Don't take Sephiroth lightly." Angeal told you both as he brought his sword down. You nodded your head. "Hmph, noted." Genesis said before the three of you rushed toward Sephiroth.

Angeal attacked Sephiroth first, and Sephiroth moved his blade to the side when their blades touched, forcing the dark haired SOLDIER the other way before blocking Genesis' attack. Genesis quickly went in for another attack, but the silver haired man countered him, and pushed him away to block your attack, which sent you backwards. You recover by doing a back flip, and tried landing in a standing position, but stumbled a bit, falling back instead. Genesis chuckled at you as you moved into a kneeling position, rubbing your shoulder a bit. Angeal came at Sephiroth again and was blocked once more before they went into a flurry of clashes.

Sephiroth then swung masamune upwards, and Angeal ducked down before repeating the same attack on him, causing Sephiroth to move back, avoiding his sword. Genesis came in again and Sephiroth instantly blocked him, making him go the other way so he could quickly deal with Angeal's next attack. You were still on a knee, watching the fight in awe since you had never seen them fight this fast before. You couldn't find any openings to attack, so you just watched and waited patiently. Sephiroth spun back around as Genesis attacked him, and when they made contact, Genesis moved back a little while placing a hand on his rapier's blade so he wouldn't go back too much.

Then Sephiroth swiftly turned back around and blocked Angeal, bringing him go back as well. Every time their blades made contact, there would be sparks, and in all honestly, this fight was starting to make you feel very intimidated. They paused for a few seconds before Angeal and Genesis both attacked Sephiroth at the same time, and Sephiroth blocked with his sword downward, making their swords into an X along his, and pushed them away when they began to add their weight onto their swords. Sephiroth continued to stay on the defense as Genesis attacked him, but after swinging their swords together a couple of times, they both moved away from each other at the same time.

Angeal jumped in the air towards Sephiroth with his sword above him ready to hit Sephiroth, but he jumped back so the man's attack went into the pipe, and some sparks appeared upon impact. Genesis jumped over Angeal, whirling around with his sword sticking out in an aerial attack, but Sephiroth swung at him, sending him away easily. You ran to Sephiroth, sword at your side about to strike him, but Sephiroth turned around and met the blade with masamune, sending you away just as he did to Genesis. Angeal rushed towards Sephiroth and began to clash swords with him, both eventually stopping with their swords locked together, making even more sparks.

"Heh, is that the best you can do?" Sephiroth questioned with a light smirk before pushing Angeal back once more, but near where Genesis was standing. Sephiroth once again brought his sword down through the air. You walked over to them and stood next to Angeal. "All hail Sephiroth, eh?" Angeal said as Genesis looked back at him before raising his left arm in front of Angeal. "Angeal, Mekina, stay back. I'll take Sephiroth alone." Genesis said. "Genesis!" Angeal took a step forward. Genesis stepped forward as well, closing his eyes for a short moment. "The world needs a new hero."

As he said that, he had his sword in front of him, and was running a hand along the blade, bringing it to a glow. "Hmph. Come and try." Sephiroth told him. "So smug. But for how long?" Genesis rushed towards Sephiroth, which he blocked before taking a swing at Genesis. The auburn haired man quickly ducked then slashed at the other, but the SOLDIER evaded the assault by jumping away. Genesis stayed still for a moment before turning around, blade seeming to glow brighter as he did so, and brought it down on Sephiroth with a grunt. The moment their blades made contact, the area beneath Sephiroth's feet became a huge dent. Sephiroth smirked and let out a deep chuckle and Genesis smirked back.

Sephiroth slowly raised his blade then quickly striked at Genesis', forcing him backwards into a flip before landing on a knee. The moment he touched the ground, he ran towards Sephiroth again, continuing his assault on the silver SOLDIER. The more they hit metal upon metal, the more it seemed as if even more sparks were produced because of the glow of his sword. Sephiroth seemed to grow annoyed with these attacks so he blocked swiftly and pushed him back, creating sparks everywhere. Sephiroth was now on the offensive. He ran towards Genesis and once their swords collided with each other, once again, Genesis was moved back several feet.

Sephiroth ran to him again with his sword downward and attacked upward making Genesis go high in the air. He then went after him by jumping into the air and they continued to clash swords above. Your eyes widened in complete shock, for it seemed like they were flying. Genesis now began to use his fire attacks and made fire shoot out towards Sephiroth. He blocked several that came to his body but didn't care for the ones that were no where near him, leaving them be. When the fire had all gotten past Sephiroth, Genesis rose his hand in the air making them come back to Sephiroth. The man began to block them, but they all started to form together around him becoming a giant fire ball.

"Will he be okay?" You questioned, unable to take your eyes off of what was happening. "I'm sure he'll be alright. But this has gone long enough." Angeal then jumped off the pipe, heading straight for Genesis. Genesis made his hand on fire as he pulled it back, ready to send one final flare at the huge flaming ball encasing Sephiroth, but before he could do so, Angeal stopped him. "Stop! You'll destroy us all!" Genesis brought his hand to Angeal face. "That's no way to talk to a hero!" He made the fire go off making an explosion in Angeal's face and watched him fall from the sky, smoking.

"Angeal!" You exclaimed, watching him fall away from the pipe. There was nothing you could do to help him, you were too far out of reach of him. Eyebrows furrowing, you tried to think of something- anything you could do, but your thoughts were soon interrupted when you saw Sephiroth escape from the fire ball, making you sigh in relief. Then he began to send long ranged attacks at Genesis with masamune, but he blocked every one of them. Since the attacks were so large in length, one of them hit the pipe, cutting it in half, making the whole thing shake and you lost your balance, falling on your butt. You narrowed your eyes in annoyance. Genesis landed a few feet in front of you and you stood back up, both of you watching Sephiroth on the other part of the pipe slowly going down.

You had originally planned to attack or yell at Genesis, most likely attack, but a strange feeling in your stomach stopped you, telling you that you should get as far away from them as you could. And you listened to it. You jumped as far back as you could, landing a safe distance away from them and watched as Sephiroth cut through the end of the pipe making a hole and he flew to Genesis. Genesis wasted no time in blocking, and everytime Sephiroth attacked him, part of the pipe would fall off. Eventually, all Genesis could do was evade his attacks as Sephiroth destroyed the pipe. Glancing behind you, the place began to explode and a sudden, cold chill ran through you.

Looking back ahead, you watched with anxious eyes as Sephiroth forced Genesis back quite a distance. When he went flying back, he hit the pipe once along the way, hitting it with his back while emitting a loud grunt, then bounced and did a back flip to recover, almost falling forward when he landed on his feet. He kept his balance using a hand while slightly sliding back before regaining his posture. Sephiroth had jumped towards him, about to bring his sword down on him, and since Genesis' sword's glow had already disappeared, he guided his hand along the blade, making it glow once again. The moment he finished, both of their swords made contact, creating a large amount of sparks along with a strong breeze that whipped their hair back.

They both jumped back, getting ready to attack once more, then jumped towards each other at the same time. "Enough!" Angeal swiftly rushed towards them and got in the middle, intervening by using his buster sword hilt to block Sephiroth's masamune, and his other sword to block Genesis. "Angeal." Sephiroth said in slight surprise. Most likely because Angeal finally used his buster sword. "Out of my way!" Genesis growled, glaring at Angeal. Genesis made his hand have a blue glow and everything seemed to go in slow motion from then on. You knew what Genesis was going to do to Angeal, so you ran towards them, but you were too slow. He cut Angeal's sword in half, making it spin in the air towards Genesis and instantly cut into his shoulder, ceasing his attack.

Genesis cried out in pain. "Genesis!" Angeal exclaimed as Genesis let go of his rapier and dropped down, holding his shoulder. Since Genesis was a few feet in front of you, the blade almost hit you as well, but you dodged to the left with a small gasp. The room changed back with an explosion that made a gust of air hit the four of you. Smoke filled the room along with more sparks from broken wires. Not to mention the alarm was going off. The room looked completely fucked up. "Just a scrape." Genesis rose to his feet. "I'll be fine, don't worry." He kneeled down and grabbed his sword before standing up once again, walking as if nothing happened.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return." He said as he walked out of the room with the three of you watching him. You looked at Angeal, "Is your face okay, Angeal?" You questioned softly. "I'm okay, it's not as bad as it could have been." Angeal said with a reassuring smile. You let out a small smile, then turned to Sephiroth, "How about you?" You were still worried about him from when he was engulfed in fire. He nodded his head but stayed silent. "Come on." Angeal began to walk out of the room with you and Sephiroth following Genesis.


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, I'm sorry for the long wait :l Things have been a little busy lately, but they're starting to cool down again, soo here this is! :) I'll actually have to start thinking up stuff again since we're coming closer to where I haven't made anything in so long. So far I have up to ch 26 and ch 27 only has a page of stuff down... and the next few chapters are long so it will take a while to check for errors and word things slightly differently. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina.**

**Enjoy?**

* * *

><p>Sephiroth, Angeal, and you waited patiently outside of Hollander's lab for Genesis. In the mean time though, Angeal was giving Sephiroth one of his famous lectures. "You should know more than anyone how Genesis gets with these fights." Angeal scolded. "I told you that one of you would eventually get hurt, and now it happened." Angeal sighed when he finished. You sighed quietly as well, still feeling bad about not being able to do anything but watch helplessly from the sidelines. "I think Genesis should be the one getting the lecture, not Sephiroth..." They two 1sts looked at you.<p>

"Oh, don't worry. I plan on giving him one far worse than this." This made you laugh a little. The lab door eventually opened and Hollander walked out. The three of you went over to him, wanting to hear the news. "Professor Hollander, how is Genesis?" Angeal asked, patiently awaiting his response. "The problem is the mako energy that seeped in through the wound..." Hollander replied. "Is it treatable?" Angeal questioned. "First, he'll need a transfusion." Hollander said, looking at Angeal.

Sephiroth took several steps forward but Angeal raised his arm up, stopping him in place. "You aren't viable. And neither are you." Hollander told Sephiroth, then to you when he noticed you open your mouth to speak. He turned walking back into the lab with Angeal following. The door closed on Sephiroth and you. "Why couldn't I be the donor...?" Sephiroth asked to particularly no one. _He seems sort of sad..._ You looked to him with a soft smile.

"Maybe it's because we both have different blood types than him?" You guessed with a little shrug. Sephiroth rose his head to look at you. "Perhaps..." You both went back to the wall and leaned against it next to each other in a comfortable silence. It felt like hours since you both last saw Angeal, but Sephiroth and you were having a good conversation to get your minds off of what happened earlier. "So how long have you been in SOLDIER?" You asked, curiously. "As long as I can remember." Sephiroth replied, after a moment of thinking. "Oh, okay. What's it like being a 1st?"

"You get lots of missions, have to train the 2nds or 3rds, good luxuries, good pay check, et cetera..." Sephiroth said with a smirk from your reaction when he said the last part. You were gaping at him. "What do you do for fun?" You questioned. "Train... you ask a lot of questions." He replied. "That's all? Man, you guys need a vacation... and yes, I do for good reasons." You laughed. "I suppose we do... and good reasons?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at you, smirk still in place.

"When I first met you, you didn't talk much, so if I ask questions then you'll talk more, and then you'll be a little more open." You smiled at him. "Heh." Sephiroth let out a small smile. "Ohhh, that's the first time I've seen you smile! At least I think it is. See, you're opening up to me." Sephiroth chuckled at your words, making you smile again. Eventually the door opened once again and Hollander and Angeal walked out. Sephiroth and you got off the wall once more and walked to Hollander. "His wound is superficial. It's not healing like it should be." Hollander told you both. Worry flashed through your eyes, and just as soon as it came, you made it vanish, hoping no one noticed.

"What will happen to him?" Sephiroth questioned Hollander. "I plan to keep him here over night so I can watch over him and see if anything happens." Hollander replied. "Can we see him?" Hollander's gaze turned to you. "You'll have to make it quick. I need to put him in a mako tube as soon as possible." Hollander told you. You gave him a short nod. He walked into the lab with the three of you following. Genesis sat on a lab table with his leather jacket resting beside him. He looked at Hollander, then Angeal for a moment before his gaze drifted to Sephiroth for a little while longer, then finally over to you for about the same amount of time.

"Hey..." You greeted as Hollander went over to a control panel and began to press buttons. "How does your shoulder feel?" Sephiroth questioned. "It's fine. I don't feel any pain." Genesis replied appearing to be deep in thought. Without anyone noticing he glanced at Sephiroth and you from the corner of his eyes. When Hollander stopped pressing buttons the tube in front of him opened and he turned back to face Genesis. But you noticed him glancing at you and Sephiroth for just a moment. When you looked his way, he quickly had his full attention on Genesis. You furrowed your eyebrows in silent question before looking up at Sephiroth.

He had a questioning gleam in his eyes as well, but it disappeared a moment later. "You'll have to leave now. Angeal, Sephiroth, Lazard has a mission for you." Hollander said looking in your direction. "And inform Lazard that Genesis will not be able to go on his mission." Angeal nodded his head. "We will." You just looked between them. _That was too fast, we didn't even stay here for a minute! And didn't they say we all had the rest of the day off? _You decided not to question it, and just let it be. "Bye, Genesis..." Angeal glanced at him for a few seconds, before moving to stand in the doorway, waiting for you two to say your farewells.

Sephiroth rose his hand up, sending a very unnoticeable warm glance his way. "Later, Genesis." You give him a small smile. Genesis nodded to the three of you before you all left the room. The three of you walked through the halls in a deep silence, all of you lost with your thoughts. You reached a hand in your pocket to look at your PHS, 1:28 p.m. _Wow...I never thought we waited that long for them. I hope he'll be able to be healed soon... _You put your PHS back into your pocket and continue to walk down the halls to Lazard's office.

After several minutes of walking you stopped in front of Lazard's door. "Good luck you guys." You said, with a little smile. They both nod to you, "Bye, Mekina." Angeal said, placing his hand on your head, ruffling your hair. "Hey!" You quickly move away as they both chuckled a bit. Sephiroth reached his hand up and patted your head with a light smirk before turning and walking into the room with Angeal. Once the door closed you let your smile fade and turned down the hall heading to the 3rds dorms. After a few minutes of being lost with your thoughts your mind eventually drifted to the fight with Wutai and how the 3rds needed help against the monster.

_You, along with the others, hit the ground, groaning. "Damn it, how do we beat this thing? We're just 3rd class!" Someone exclaimed. No one answered him. All of you knew he was right. Hell, even the Leader was a 3rd class, the instructor just picked the strongest ones to be leaders for each unit!_

As the thoughts persisted, you slowly came to a stop and looked to the ground with narrowed eyes.

_"Angeal!" You exclaimed as you watch him fall away from the pipe. There was nothing you could do to help him, you were too far out of reach of him. Eyebrows furrowing, you tried to think of something- anything you could do..._

You clenched your hands into fists and closed your eyes, not caring that you were getting stared at from the few passerbys in the hall.

_"Angeal." Sephiroth said in slight surprise. Most likely because Angeal finally used his buster sword. "Out of my way!" Genesis growled, glaring at Angeal. Genesis made his hand have a blue glow and everything seemed to go in slow motion from then on. You knew what Genesis was going to do to Angeal, so you ran towards them, but you were too slow. _

_He cut Angeal's sword in half, making it spin in the air towards Genesis and instantly cut into his shoulder, ceasing his attack. Genesis cried out in pain. "Genesis!" Angeal exclaimed as Genesis let go of his rapier and dropped down, holding his shoulder. Since Genesis was a few feet in front of you, the blade almost hit you as well, but you dodged to the left with a small gasp. The room changed back with an explosion that made a gust of wind hit the four of you._

You tightened your grip even more as these memories continued to play through your head; each one only making you feel even more weak, helpless, pathetic, and useless than you already believed you were. You raised your head back up and turned around, no longer planning on going to the 3rd class dorms. Instead, you headed to the training room, determined to become stronger. You intended to train the rest of the day, and a firey glow rested in your eyes. When you arrived to the room you slipped your key card through the door, making it open.

Linking the controls to your PHS, you made the room change at random, and before you knew it, you were at a beach with a cool breeze pressing against your face. You closed your eyes letting the sound of the waves sooth your mind for a moment, before opening them. The sand was almost white and there were open plains of green behind you. You gazed at your surroundings for a while just enjoying the feeling, before you pressed buttons on your PHS. _Hmm... twenty five should be enough... level 7_. Once finished, you put your PHS away, and brought your sword in front of you as the enemies took form.

_Weakly, you sat up clutching your arms around yourself as it rose it's sword higher while coming closer. So this is how it ends? Wait, what am I thinking! It's just a virtual thing... it can't really kill me, right? You tried to stand to your feet, only to be stabbed in the arm from one by your side, keeping you down. Then again... You groaned in pain and closed your eyes for a moment, before opening them again. A curse escaped your lips in between your heavy panting. By now the blade was completely above it's head and it stopped in front of you for a few seconds. Then it quickly brought it down, and you tightly shut your eyes once again, waiting for what was to come._

_You saw your life flash before your eyes. This really is the end! You waited a few more seconds for the blow, but when nothing happened you opened one eye nervously, then soon the other with a sigh of relief. Standing in front of you was Sephiroth along with all the enemy's fading around him. You gaped at him in silent shock for a moment, before slowly recovering as he went over and took the sword out of your arm. "Thanks, Sephiroth." You half smiled through tightly shut eyes before trying to stand up as he nodded a 'no problem'._

The only differences from last time was that there were a few more and they were one level below the ones before. _And this time... I don't plan on being saved_. You let a smirk play on the corner of your lips as the blade of your sword gleamed under the sun light. When all of the enemies formed around you, you ran towards the one in front of you with your sword to the side. When you got close enough, you swung it as fast as you could at your target, but it blocked it. The ones behind you began to advance, so you turned around, still keeping your sword in place, and kicked the closest one back before pulling your blade away, and turning back around, swiftly attacking two or three of them, making them fade away.

You spun back around, doing a quick spin kick, hitting one in the face causing it go flying back into the ground. It began to flicker a little, but still got up and ran back to you. You brought your sword down on ones head, and with some difficulty, all the way down through its body, cutting it in half. You watched it momentarily in amusement as it flickered away with a cry. And in those few seconds, you felt pain on your arm, and you narrowed your eyes at your stupid mistake. You let your guard down for only a few seconds and got hurt. Looking towards the one that attacked you, you rose your sword up and bashed it to its head, all in one movement.

From the corner of your eye, you saw several others getting ready to impale you, and without hesitation, you dropped to the ground, missing their assault. Some of them hit each other, but it didn't effect them. When you saw an opening, you jump rolled through it before rising to your feet, turning around to block an attack that was aimed for your head. The others took this opportunity to lunge at you, making your eyes widen. You jumped backwards as fast as you could, but weren't fast enough to avoid one of their attacks, and got hit above your knee. Luckily it wasn't too deep, so you were still able to move around with only a small amount pain. The moment you landed, you wasted no time in moving to the right as they lunged for you again. Quickly, you shoved a hand into your pocket and pulled out your ice materia.

Annoyance filled your eyes for having to resort to this so soon. The moment you pushed the materia into your arm, you barely had time to dodge another attack. Now crouching down, you swung your sword at their legs, amputating several of their limbs, making them almost fall on top of you. You jump rolled out of the way once again and turned to them before pausing for a second, watching as they tried to crawl to you, swords still in hand. You felt your eye twitch a bit since this scene reminded you of a horror movie Zack had you watch. A cold chill ran along your spine as you hesitantly walked over to them and brought your sword down on each of them.

When you finished dealing with the four of them, you heard the movement of wind behind you, so you jump flip forward, and in doing so, you got a good look of what was behind you. While still in the air, you rose your hand up, dropping ice upon the oponents, which landed on three who were rather close together. The moment your feet touched the ground, you rushed in a blur towards the group of enemies around you. This training was already beginning to show little improvements, most likely because of the mako running through your veins. You continued your assault on the enemy, determination and perserverance pounding through every core of your being...


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello everyone, I want to apologize for the wait, and I will try to get the next chapter out faster. Now that high school's out of the way for good, I can finally focus on this story for a while :D So the next part should be out very soon. Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for Mekina, my OC.**

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><p>When you arrived at your dorm you were about an hour late for your curfew, and surprisingly you weren't caught, even in your weak state. Silently, you walked down the dark hall to your bedroom, body covered in slightly deep cuts, scrapes, and gashes, and you inhaled and exhaled deeply, mainly because with every step you took caused you pain. When you got to your room, you leaned your sword against a wall, removed your materia, resting it along the table, then went straight to your closet, pulling out some clothes before going to bathroom and placing them on the counter. You reached your arms up, wincing slightly as you opened the medicine cabinet, and pulled out some bandages and medicine before resting them on the counter next to your clothes.<p>

Gingerly, you slipped off your blood stained clothes, trying your best to lessen the pain with slow movements. When you were finished, you went to the shower, turned it on before cautiously stepping in with a small towel in hand to carefully clean your injuries, and by the time you were done, the towel was tainted red. You got a bigger towel and dried off before getting the medicine, putting it on your wounds. The moment it touched your skin, you cringed, wincing. After a few minutes, most of your body burned intently, and you tried to refrain from making any noises of pain, not wanting to wake the other 3rds.

You then began to bandage yourself, and after a several more minutes you were done, then you slipped on the clean clothes and examined yourself in the mirror. The only bandage that was noticeable was the one on your cheek. The cut was almost two inches long so you had to place a big bandage over it, which you knew you would be questioned about tomorrow. A quiet sigh escaped your lips as you let your eyes move down the mirror, looking at your necklace. Your eyes softened a little as you reached a hand up, trailing your fingers over it, remembering your past for a moment.

With a little shake of the head, the thoughts were able to go away before you moved to put the rest of the medicine and bandages back into the medicine cabinet. After picking up your torn bloodstained clothes, you left the room, and placed the clothes in the trash, but not before taking your belongings from the pockets, then went to the little table by your bed, and set your alarm to 5:00 a.m. You raised your arm up a little and held your hand over it, taking out the materia and put it on the table, before cautiously getting into bed. You pulled the covers over you, and within five minutes, you drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

...

The alarm rang loudly as it shook uncontrollably. Your eyes opened instantly and you reached a hand out, tiredly attempting to hit the button to make it stop. After several tries, you succeeded and just laid in bed for a while until hesitantly sitting up, rubbed the sleepiness out of your eyes then got out of bed and went to the bathroom. When you finished doing the usual morning routine, you got out of the bathroom and changed into a SOLDIER uniform before looking at your clock. 5:29 am. _31 more minutes..._ Your stomach growled so you put an arm around it, and sat on your bed, deciding to play with your PHS. Pressing the center button you made the menu screen appear. After looking over the options, your eyes eventually stopped on the one that read 'messages'. It was flashing. You clicked on it and went to the first message. It was from Zack, which made you smile.

_Hey, Mekina! It's been a while since we've last talked, hasn't it? I wanted to tell you that somehow the media found out what happened in the town yesterday! But luckily they didn't find out that Shinra exploded it and it's now replaced... I wonder how they replaced it so fast? What they found out wasn't put on the news though, it's just in the news paper, and I can see your group in it! But they took it reaaally far away so you all are small, haha._

_I just got a new mission, so I gotta go now._

_Talk to ya later :D_

You messaged back,

_Hey, Zack, I know... it's been about... a week? Hmm, I wonder how they found out... and yet I wonder how could they find out but NOT know we exploded it! And replacing it that fast is like magic! And if we're that small, how could you tell it was me? :P_

_Okay, good luck on your mission._

_Cya later :)_

You scrolled down the messages reading them, most of them were about Shinra or SOLDIER business while very few were just from friends. It wasn't surprising, considering that you didn't have much friends to begin with. When you finished, you looked at the clock again and it read, 5:35 a.m. You put your PHS in your pocket, and rose from your bed to retrieve your sword and placed it on your back. You were about to walk out of the room, but you caught a gleam of your materia under the light that came through the window. Spinning on your heel, you turned back around and grabbed it, put it in your pocket, before walking out of the room. You walked down the hall and out the dorms to the cafeteria, waiting for the doors to open.

**After Breakfast**

You walked out of the cafeteria and recieved a few questioning stares because of the bandage on your face, and inwardly sighed as you made your way to the training area for 3rd class. When you got there, you had about five minutes to spare until training began. In exactly five minutes, the instructor entered the room and the 3rds lined up. The instructor walked in front of each of you, looking you directly in the face, and when he came to you he stopped and examined your bandage. "What happened, SOLDIER?" He questioned. "Training with virtual enemies, sir." You replied, earning stares from the other SOLDIER's.

"Level?" He questioned, once more. "Seven, sir..." You replied, a little quieter, feeling uneasy and shy from the attention. "Interesting." He walked passed you and down the whole line before standing in front of all of you. "I see that all of you made it back alive from yesterday's battle." He said with a warm smile. "Good work. Now, push ups!" Everyone obeyed, and got down into position. "Down! Up! Down! Up!" After several minutes of push ups, you moved on to sit ups, and when you were done with that, he had you run a couple of laps around Shinra HQ as a warm up.

When all of you finished the warm ups, you had to spar with each other, but with no swords. Then when you were done with that, you went through a couple of drills before going back to fighting again. Through the rest of the week, everyday was pretty much normal, except that sometimes you would do something different during training. Like going through drills in the forest or going on more group assignments. Sometimes you would even be in the training room doing virtual drills and missions of wutai attacking Shinra or Midgar.

**Three Week Later**

Ever since Genesis left Hollanders' lab, he'd been acting different. He'd become a little more... distant. Often appearing to be deep in thought and even more easily angered than he was before. You sat on a window sill, watching over midgar, pondering about him. After several minutes, you rose to your feet and walked out of the room, beginning to feel somewhat bored of looking at the dreary skies. You went down a couple of stairs until you got to the SOLDIER floor. After walking down the halls for a while, you eventually caught sight of Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth. "Hey guys." You smiled. They greeted you with a nod, and you joined walking with them. "So where ya going?"

"Lazard's office... seems like he's got a special mission for us." Angeal answered and you nodded your head your head in understanding. "He also said if we saw you then you are to come to his office as well." Sephiroth told you, making you raise an eyebrow curiously. "Alright." Soon the four of you arrived at the Director's office. "What is it you needed us for, Director?" Genesis questioned as Lazard spun around in his chair, facing you. "I'm sure you all heard that so far we are winning against Wutai. Correct?" All of you nodded your heads. "And in the past few days we haven't had any attacks... so it leads us to believe that they are forming tactics that could be lethal."

The Director pushed his glasses up a little with his finger. "So the President wants us to relax and have time to recover. So in other words... he's sending you on vacation." Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis stared at him blankly. They thought they were going to get some kind of hard assignment since the war is going on, but vacation? They definitely did not expect this. Anything, but this. Lazard moved his gaze to you. "And the reason why you're here is because..." He turned in his seat, giving you his full attention, "Congratulations, Mekina, you are now a 2nd class, SOLDIER." You froze in shock, not knowing what to say. "I've had people watching you very closely, which included while you trained alone for hours every day. You earned it." He added, chuckling at your reaction.

"Seriously? This is awesome!" You ran over to him and gave him a tight hug, shocking him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" You exclaimed, smiling happily. When you let go of him, he began to fix himself up since you ruined his attire. "I'm sorry." You gave a little chuckle. "No, it's quite alright. And because you made it to 2nd class you can go on vacation with them as well." He smiled. "You'll also be moved to the 2nd class dorm." You smiled at him and gave a nod, before turning around and looking back at the three 1sts. They still stood in place, no one saying a word. After a while of taking in the surprising information, Angeal spoke up.

"Well... this could do us some good." He said thoughtfully, and crossed his arms. Sephiroth and Genesis gave him a look as if saying he's crazy without doing so openly. Sephiroth chuckled, shaking his head. "How long will we be gone?" He questioned, beginning to give in to the feeling of a much needed vacation. "One or two days." Genesis sighed deeply, "Don't worry, it's not that long." Lazard told him, "This is ridiculous! We're in a war and we're going on vacation?" Genesis crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. "I agree with Angeal." Genesis gave you a look, but you just shrugged it off.

"It's not like Shinra's going to fall apart once we leave." Sephiroth said as Genesis gave another irritated sigh. After a minute or two of thinking, he finally gave in. "...Where exactly are we going?" Genesis sighed. "Golden Saucer." Lazard replied, earning confused glances from all of you. "Golden Saucer?" Angeal repeated, slowly. The Director only nodded his head. "I take it none of you know what it is?" All of you shook your head. "Well then, you'll just have to find out tomorrow. Go to your rooms and pack up your belongings, then tomorrow at 6:30 go to the entrance of Shinra and there should be a transportation waiting for you." Lazard informed all of you.

"Oh," Lazard turned to Angeal, "Zack can come along as well. I think he's had enough missions in the past few weeks." Lazard told Angeal, making him chuckle. Lazard looked at his clock on the wall as it flashed, 7:52 p.m. "I'll let you all get ready for tomorrow. Good night." Lazard waved. "Night, Lazard." You waved back. "Good night." Angeal said as the other two nodded to him before walking out of the room. "...Golden saucer?" Genesis raised a brow. "I think it's that place with the amusement park." You pondered aloud, earning the 1st's gazes.

"Amusement park? Well... this will be amusing." Sephiroth smirked lightly. Probably because of the pun he just made. "You know, this does seem a little stupid. Just because they haven't made a move in a few days, we're going on vacation? Is the President idiotic or something?" You said the last part under your breath. "That's exactly what I have been thinking." Genesis said before closing his eyes in thought. "Then again, we are underestimating Shinra. " Genesis said, referring to you and him. "So we should just let it be?" He shrugged lightly at your question. "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess."

"...Okay, I'm just not gonna care anymore. So... vacation! We're free!" You exclaimed causing people in the hall to look at you like you were insane. Angeal and Sephiroth chuckled at your childishness, while Genesis smirked with an eye brow raised. "By the way, do you know where the 2nd class rooms are?" You questioned, regaining your posture making all of them raise an eye brow... well, except for Genesis. He just kept doing it. "I'll show you." Angeal said, "Thanks." You smiled at him. Soon you all parted ways, but Angeal walked with you to your dorm and you got all of your belongings packed in several minutes since you didn't really have a lot of stuff.

You went back into the main room where Angeal was waiting, and when you got there, noticed he was being admired by a few 3rds. You also saw your old instructor, so you walked up to him and saluted him one last time. "I heard the news." He stared at you for a moment before patting your shoulder with a warm smile. "Good job on getting to 2nd class, kid." Some of the 3rds in the room watched you both, curiously. He examined your arms for a moment, making you look down as well. Your arm warmers slipped down a little while you were packing your stuff, so your bandages showed with occasional blood spots seen through them. Eyes widening slightly, you pulled the cloth back up, covering them.

"So it was true. You really did earn, and deserve, that title." He turned his gaze upward, both of your eyes meeting. "You're going to make a good, SOLDIER." He patted your head and you smiled at him. "Thank you, sir." You saluted him one last time before turning to Angeal, and you both walked out of the room to your new dorm. "Congratulations, on making 2nd class, by the way." Angeal said, placing a hand on your shoulder. "Thanks." You grinned at him. "Hey, Angeal? What's training like when you're a 2nd?" You asked. "You'll find out soon enough." Angeal replied with a smirk. After a few minutes of walking you arrived at your new dorm, Angeal walked into the main room and went over to a paper on the wall.

"This says where your room and who your Commander is." Angeal and you searched the paper for your name. "You're my Commander." You smiled at him. "Indeed I am." He said, smiling as well. "And my room is... Section B: Room 11." You read before looking up at him. "This way." He walked down one of the halls, soon coming to a stop in front of a door. He slipped out his keycard and ran it through the door. "You'll need a new keycard to open these doors since you still have your 3rd class one. It should be in here though." He told you opening the door, letting you go in first. You flipped on the light switch and took a few steps in, staring at the room in awe. "Wow... thanks for helping me, Angeal." You looked at him after admiring your new room for a couple seconds.

"No problem." He smiled at you. "You should go to bed now." You nodded your head and placed your stuff by the bed. Angeal watched you for a moment before pulling something out of his pocket and walking closer to you. While you rose to your feet, a bright green glow surrounded you making you gasp in surprise. You relaxed when you realized what was happening. After several seconds the glow dispersed and you looked at Angeal. "Thank you..." You grinned up at him. "Next time you're hurt, say something. You're welcome." Angeal lightly chided. "Yes sir!" You stood at attention before moving to unwrap the bandages. "Now, go to sleep." Angeal told you. "Alright, Angeal. Good night."

"Night, Mekina." He then lightly closed the door, leaving you to your new room. You looked around the room, eyes stopping on the keycard that was placed on the table by your bed. You kneeled down and searched through your backpack and took out some clothes, quickly changing into them. You put your uniform in the corner of the room and turned off the lights before going under your covers. As you tried to sleep you couldn't help but wonder if what the President was doing was a good idea or not. In the end you shrugged off the thought completely, no longer caring anymore. You decided to just try to have fun and go with the flow.


	24. Chapter 24

**Warning: Will contain stupidity, suicidal moogles, candy deprived children, parodies, stupid humor, etc.**

**As this was looked over the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack interrupted by fireworks was listened to in certain parts... here's the longest chapter I've ever written (I just had too much fun with this chapter, and didn't want to end it, really...) o_O took a couple of hours to edit, so I hope you all enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina**

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><p>The alarm to your clock beeped loudly in your ear, making you involuntarily jump. You never used your alarm that much so you still weren't quite use to it. Reaching a hand up to hit the alarm you let silence consume the room once again before slowly sitting up, and looked at the time. 5:00 am. You stared at it blankly for a few seconds, then turned your gaze to look around the unfamiliar room, brows faintly creasing in confusion. At least until realization dawned on you. "How could I forget that?" You placed a hand on your forehead, moving strands of hair out of your face as a smile appeared.<p>

Since it was still too early for the sun to come up, the moonlight lit up your new room so you were able to examine it a little better. Turning your head to the right, you looked at the body sized windows that were covered with slightly see through curtains. You got out of bed and moved the curtains a bit, letting more light through. When the curtains were moved aside, you saw a nice view of the currently sleeping city, Midgar. Just seeing it made you feel more relaxed than you already were.

After a few minutes, you switched your gaze away from the scenery to examine the room once more. You couldn't help but gape at how much better it looked than your last room. After quietly taking in the small upgrade, you were able to regain your composure in a few more seconds. _If this is what 2nd class rooms are like, then I wonder what a 1sts would look like_? The change between 3rd and 2nd wasn't that great to be honest, which had you curious about 1sts.

Crawling on the bed to get to the other side, you moved for your backpack, wanting to grab some clothes for the day. Once you decided what you were going to wear, you went into the bathroom and did the usual morning routine. After you left the bathroom, you went to your bag again, this time searching for your comb, and when it was found, quickly went to the mirror on the wall to comb the tangles out of your hair. When that was done, you examined your outfit since you hadn't worn casual clothes in a long time.

Blinking, you took note of your somewhat more mature looking figure. Slowly turning around to examine the rest of your body, you also noted that your hair had gotten a little longer. Letting your gaze go lower, your eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at how firm your behind looked. Wow... so SOLDIER training really did pay off. It had already been a quite a bit of months now since you joined SOLDIER. Done with your little examination, you glanced at the clock, watching as it flashed 5:22 am.

You walked over to your backpack and put your comb back in it, then pulled out some fingerless gloves, slipping them on. Ever since you got the gloves, you had become very fond of them, especially since they had come to good use on several occasions. Like that time when your sword broke and you went against Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth, for example. You grabbed a few more things from your backpack and placed them in your pocket, such as your PHS, key card/ID, mako powered mp3, and gil. _That should be it…_ You looked back up at the clock, realizing only five minutes had past.

_What else should I bring with me? Hmm…_ Eyes drifting past the clock, they soon landed on the bathroom door, giving you an 'ah-ha' moment. Going into the bathroom once again, you brought out a toothbrush and toothpaste, packing them in a small pocket on the side of your backpack. "This should be good enough." You murmured, rising to your feet while looking around your room. Carefully scanning the room, you eventually stopped on your figure in the mirror again, and even from the distance, your slight curves were noticeable. It had been a while since you last wore something that hugged your body like the shirt you were wearing.

After a while of thinking, you pulled out your hoodie from your bag and wore it. You were beginning to feel modest, having become too use to oversized clothes. You always wore your SOLDIER uniform which would hide what curves you had, since it was always a size or two bigger than you were. They never did make one right for you, and yet you were okay with it. As you turned back to your backpack, a gleam below you caught your eye. You looked down, eyes stopping on your necklace, all worries gradually fading away as you reached a hand up to lovingly touch it.

Feeling your fingers make contact with the cold, blue-green jewel, you faintly smiled. Lingering in this position for a second or so longer, you soon retracted your hand to slip on your back pack. Glancing over your shoulder, you eyed the clock one last time before walking out of the room._ I still have about an hour until the transportation arrives. I guess I'll just stay around the dorm until then..._ Entering the 2nd class lounge, you decided to sit on a sofa in the corner of the room.

As you sat there, you searched the room for anything to entertain you. A moving figure caught your attention from the corner of your eye, which quickly gained your complete attention. After a split second, a smile instantly formed on both of your faces. "Long time no see!" Zack said, going over to you. "Hey, Zack!" You greeted, getting up from your position to go to him.

"So the soon to be rumor is true. Welcome to 2nd class!" Zack held up a fist. You raised an eyebrow from what he said, smile still present as you brought your fist to meet his. "Thanks. And soon to be rumor?" He nodded. "Yeah! Someone said they saw you here with Angeal last night, which could only mean that you made it to 2nd." Zack then added with a grin, "Which means we have the same Commander." You smirked. "What's with that look, Mekina?"

"Well for one, we can hang out more. Two, it's not a rumor if it's true," Zack chuckles, "I guess that makes sense." Your smirk slightly widened, "And three... the reason why we're awake this early." A smile returned to your features. "So… what should we do until then?" Zack asked as you replied with a light shrug before crossing your arms and raising a hand to your chin in thought. "Hmm... do you want to try and find the others?" Zack gave a shrug, "Sure. That'll be better than just waiting around." Nodding in agreement, you both left the room, beginning your search.

**Ten Minutes Later**

"Ugh... where are they!?" Zack exclaimed, earning strange glances from the few people in the halls. You tilted your head to look at him as a thought came to you. "Hey, Zack? Do you want to make a game out of this?" You questioned. "A game?" Zack repeated as you nodded your head. "Yeah!" Zack crossed his arms, thinking for a moment before a faint smirk appeared over his lips, "Alright, I'll play. But what happens to the loser?"

"Umm..." You closed your eyes to think about the consequences. It took a minute or two to come up with something, but when a thought came to you, you let out a big uncontrollable smile and couldn't stop laughing. Zack eyed you in silent question. "What? What is it!?" He urged, poking your side a couple of times. This seemed to make you laugh a bit more, which he silently noted for future times, much to your eventual dismay. When your laughter died down, you turned to him.

"The loser will have to-" You motioned for him to lean down. When he did so, you stood on your tiptoes to whisper in his ear. When you finished saying it, Zack was laughing at the punishment so much that his face turned red. After a bit longer of laughing, he finally spoke. "Alright! I'm in!" Zack held out his hand for you to shake on it, which you took with no hesitation, but just as soon as you both shook on it, both of you separated and went different ways. There's no way I'm gonna lose! That thought was the only thing that ran through your minds. Well, that along with the punishment, of course.

**Twenty Minutes Later**

Over the time, Zack and you decided to message each other when you found someone. So far the both of you were at a tie. Zack found Angeal while you found Genesis. Of course when they were found, they didn't like the fact that they were in a game that they didn't even know about. And yet, their curiosity had gotten the better of them, so they went with you as you continued the game, but not to help. Just as witnesses. "You said that there was a punishment for the loser. What would that be?" Genesis inquired.

"You'll find out soon enough... maybe. Hopefully never." You replied over your shoulder. Apparently, that answer wasn't good enough for Genesis, considering that he was a Commander, and that 'question' he asked sounded more like an order. Genesis narrowed his eyes as he followed your sudden fast paced figure. "I think I just saw Sephiroth." You told him, quickening your pace into a run. Genesis only raised a brow.

When you both turned a corner, you saw a bit of a black jacket disappear behind another corner. Most likely he was heading to the front of Shinra. As you ran, you noticed that Zack and Angeal were in the same hall as you. By now Angeal and Genesis had stopped running, and just watched you two chase after the retreating figure. Both of you locked eyes with each other, an exhilarating gleam in your eyes.

Both of you turned down the hall, quickening your pace when Sephiroth was in sight. Sephiroth stopped walking, now looking over his shoulder at you two with an eyebrow raised. "I win!" Zack and you yelled, tagging Sephiroth at the same time. Angeal placed a hand to his forehead, letting out a sigh. "Energetic, just like puppies..." Angeal said as Genesis nodded his head in agreement.

"...Another game?" Sephiroth questioned, now fully facing you two. Both of you nodded your head. "Sephiroth?" He looked at you curiously. "This may sound wrong, but which one of us did you feel- uh- touch you first?" You asked, face instantly turning a light shade of pink. You didn't think it would sound that wrong. Zack laughed at your reaction, only making the shade slightly darker. "...It was at the same time." Sephiroth replied. Zack and you exchanged glances as you slowly regained your normal color.

Sephiroth looked at you both for a moment longer then turned back around. "The transport should be here by now." He said as Zack, Angeal, Genesis, and you began walking after him. "So... if it was a tie, how are we gonna do the punishment?" Zack asked, breaking the silence. Sephiroth looked over his shoulder at him, now interested. "We'll manage, somehow." You replied. Silence took over once again before you gave in, bursting out laughing as the image of what was going to happen flashed through your head.

"What? You're laughing at what's gonna happen? How could you!?" Zack exclaimed, pouting. "Only the beginning!" A corner of Zack's mouth twitched upwards as a similar image went across his mind, and he laughed as well, making the trio even more curious than they already were. When the five of you exited the building, you saw a black van with the Shinra logo on it, and a man who looked to be a turk was standing beside it.

He wore the normal turk outfit of a black suit and black shoes. He had black hair that ended a little above his shoulders, and bangs that covered part of his left eye. When he saw the five of you approaching him he lifted his hand up in a greeting before opening the door, letting all of you in, then closing the door and getting in the other door to the driver's seat. "This will be a one hour trip, so get comfortable." He informed. "By the way, the name's Eli." He added starting the vehicle to your destination.

"Nice to meet you, Eli. I'm Zack. Zack Fair, soon to be 1st class SOLDIER!" Eli raised an eyebrow while looking at him through the mirror in the front. "Pleasure to meet you too, kid." Zack frowned. "Kid? I'm not a kid!" Eli chuckled, "I see... my apologies, kid." Zack was about to open his mouth to say something, but Angeal gave him a stern look, making him close his mouth again. Instead Zack leaned back in his seat, a frown present on his face as he looked out the window.

**An Hour Later**

Your driver dropped all of you off at some town called Corel, and told you that if you get on the Ropeway ride, then it will take you to Gold Saucer. And with that, he left you stranded in this town searching for the Ropeway, while he went for gas and back to Shinra HQ. After a few minutes of searching, you all eventually found it thanks to a young woman in a booth who was asking people passing by if they were going on the Ropeway, which happened to be a big blue cart that hung from a rope.

On the front, upper sides of the vehicle were two large fans, and behind that was some kind of jet. As the five of you neared it, your gaze quickly drifted to the right. The tracks to the Ropeway ended a little over a cliff which seemed to be several hundred feet above the ground. You lifted your gaze up to the sky. The sun began to rise a few minutes ago, so it looked very nice and soothing. Beautiful... "This is gonna be awesome!" Zack exclaimed as he ran inside the Ropeway ahead of everyone.

Once everyone was inside, the door closed and the fans began to start, signalling that you would soon be in motion. Everyone got in a seat and the vehicle finally started to move. Within seconds, the jets turned on, making it go faster and soon the Ropeway was off the tracks, taking its passengers to the air.

After a couple seconds of being airborne, lights around the vehicle turned on. You looked out the window, watching the clouds that were closest to the vehicle become illuminated by some of the light, before looking forward, up at the rope that was holding the ride. It appeared to be glowing. You lowered your head when you saw a giant golden silhouette in the distance.

"Whoa!" You said as you drew closer to it, realizing how big it really was. There were head lights shooting upwards and from numerous other places on it, all in the colors of blue, red, orange, yellow, and white. The closer you got to it, the more the Ropeway began to lower as you went into a dark opening with the words 'Welcome to Gold Saucer' in lights at the top. When the vehicle exited the tunnel, it came out of a fake pink monsters mouth, and balloons in different colors and designs floated to the sky as the ride came to a stop.

The door opened and all of you stepped out looking around, instantly being greeted by a man in a fat chocobo costume. "Welcome to the Gold Saucer!" When he went away to greet more people, Genesis couldn't help but mutter to himself, "What the hell was the president thinking when he sent us here?" He examined the pink monster you all just came out of. "...There's a possibility that he could have been drunk when he signed those papers." Sephiroth commented as he eyed the hopping man in the fat chocobo costume.

Zack and you eyed him as well. Zack took a step forward, advancing on him, but you lightly grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Maybe we should wait until later? We don't want to get kicked out yet, right?" You asked him, nervously. He nodded his head, chuckling nervously as well, "Yeah, good point." This little conversation made the trio look at you both in silent question once again. Both of you noticed this and quickly tried to change the atmosphere. "Come on, let's go!" Zack exclaimed running over to the line that was in front of the ticket lady with you following close without a moment of hesitation.

Angeal sighed with a lazy smile across his face before going after you two, "Wait you two! We need to book some rooms first before they're out." He stopped you both before you reached the lady by the entrance. "Come here, and don't wander off just yet." Angeal said walking to the back of the line. After the long wait, you finally reached the front, "Welcome to the Gold Saucer!" She greeted everyone. She had dirty blond hair pulled into a ponytail and blue eyes, and was wearing the Gold Saucer uniform, which happened to be a rather weird outfit.

"A single pass is 3,000 gil." She looked at each of you, her eyes soon coming stopping on Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth. She gasped as a light blush rose on her cheeks, probably embarrassed from her attire. "Wait, so that would be 15,000 gil?" Zack stared at her in shock as she nodded her head. "Good job, puppy. Who knew that you could pull off such amazing mental math? I commend you." Genesis said, sarcasm dripping off of every word. Zack glared at Genesis and was about to make a retort, but Sephiroth spoke up, completely ignoring them.

"This should be the exact price." He handed a bag of gil to the girl. "Th-Thank you! But since you're with Shinra you don't have to pay!" She handed it back to him. "And why is that?" He inquired. "Shinra operates the Gold Saucer, and we were notified that you would be coming." She replied with a smile, letting all of you by, "Enjoy yourselves at the Gold Saucer!" She gave a wave as you went into the dark tunnel.

"Well, that explains why he sent us here." Sephiroth smirked, putting the bag back into his pocket as you exited the tunnel. The next room everyone arrived in was yellow and it had seven holes on the slanted walls. On the far side of the room was an info box and on the ground, in front of the holes, were words saying where each would lead to.

From right to left the holes read: Chocobo Square, Wonder Square, Battle Square, Ghost Square, Round Square, Speed Square, and Event Square. The info box was between Battle Square and Ghost Square. Angeal went over to the info box and read what each area had. "Looks like Ghost Square is where the rooms are." Angeal said, examining the hole on the left of the info box.

"Ghost?" Zack looked at the hole as well and walked over to it to look down. "If the rooms are down here, then..." He turned around, facing everyone silently for a few seconds before falling backwards. "Woo hoo!" He laughed, making an echo. The four of you stared at where he used to be with amused expressions. You took a few steps toward the hole to peer down it, only able to see darkness. "So, who's next?" You glanced back at them.

"Ladies first." Genesis made a gesture towards the hole with a hand. You moved a little away from it, shaking your head. "I see..." He placed his hand back to his side. "You're afraid?" He questioned, a light smirk appearing on his face. "No, it's just that... never mind!" After taking a moment to stomach the fear you felt, you jumped into the hole. "Wooo!" You yelled, causing an echo similar to Zack's. The hole was filled with air pushing you down before stopping to move you forward, then doing the former, but upwards.

Ever since you were younger, you were intimidated by pitch dark areas, but you could handle it if you were with someone. You were afraid mainly because at night, you would hear strange voices in your head. Voices that you were never fully able to understand or comprehend, and always seemed to be constant... it terrified you as a child.

The voices were sometimes very loud and strong or quiet and soft. This also happened in the daytime, but you usually weren't alone during that time so it didn't frighten you as much. A month or two before you joined SOLDIER the voices seemed to always be of the latter, somewhat more quiet, side. Eventually, you began ignoring the voices, trying to forget them completely. You never told anyone this would happen, thinking that if you did, that they would just send you off to where insane or mentally ill people went. Even now, the voices were there, but remained as nothing more than mere murmurs.

When you came out, it shot you up a few feet before landing safely in front of the grave you just came out of. You instantly became more uneasy as you examined your surroundings. There were tombstones around you with the names of the holes from the first room written on them. When you noticed this, it made you feel slightly at ease since you now knew they were the exits and entrances. Glancing to the right, you saw a stairway leading to what looked to be a haunted mansion, but you knew better. It obviously was the hotel Angeal talked about. Behind it, the sky was a gloomy purple grey and it was rather foggy.

"Mekina! Over here!" Zack called to you. He was standing at the top of the stairs, motioning for you to come over. Relief washed over you. You knew this was fake, but you couldn't help but to feel a little afraid. You were afraid because of a few little experiences that happened in your past. "Coming!" You ran up the steps to him. When you made it up the stairs, you heard a noise from the grave you came out of, and just a second later, Angeal came out. Then soon after Genesis popped out, followed by Sephiroth.

"Sorry for the wait." Angeal said, observing the new area as he walked up the stairs. Zack opened the door to the building and stuck his head in, looking around before fully opening it and stepping inside, holding the door open. You walked in with Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis behind you, and Zack closed the door, walking further in to take a look around. On your left was another room with a counter and strange items everywhere. A gift shop perhaps? On each side of the wall to that room, were giant skulls from some kind of monster.

Next to the skull closest to you was a white sign, and by the farthest skull was a picture of a moon with a red background. Beneath that was a lounge chair with a big moving red plant resting beside it. Next to that was a red staircase that matched the red carpet, and on the far right, there was a chess game that was set up on a table with two empty chairs. You looked at the chess pieces, realizing that they were in positions that made it look as if a game was being played.

You hesitantly walked over to take a look. Right when you came over, a piece moved on its own, and two ghosts that were playing against each other appeared, making you jump at the sudden image. The ghost farthest from you waved for a few seconds before disappearing. This made your heart skip a beat. Swiftly turning on a heel, you ran back to the comfort of being near your companions.

"Welcome. Thank you for coming to the Ghost hotel, ugh..." A blue man groaned. You jumped once more from the sound of his voice, then turned around to look at him. He had on a dark blue tuxedo, black shoes, had dark hair with black eyes, and a long, abnormal nose. _What is with this hotel!?_ "For reservations, please step up to the counter." He told everyone before letting out another groan. "...Alright, thank you." Angeal said, walking over to the empty counter. When Zack opened his mouth to speak, a high pitched scream rang through all of your ears. Everyone gave their full attention to the person falling from the ceiling with a rope around their neck.

When he came down behind the counter, he began to shake furiously before coming to a complete stop seconds later. It was a man with palish green skin, dark brown hair that covered his eyes, and was wearing brown shirt and brown pants. He lifted his head after a few seconds and waved. "Welcome. If you want to rest here, it'll be 5 gold points per night..." He trailed off when his gaze landed on Sephiroth. "Oh, my apologies, SOLDIER!" The Hangman seemed a bit startled as he took something out of the drawer in front of him, handing it to Sephiroth.

"Shinra has already taken care of your stay, so all you'll need is this." He motioned to the key cards. "You'll have to have two rooms since three beds are in each." The Hangman added. Sephiroth nodded his head in silent thanks before going up the stairs. Genesis scoffed, upset that they only realized that they were in SOLDIER when they looked at Sephiroth. Angeal looked from Genesis to Sephiroth then to Zack and you as everyone walked up the stairs. Angeal slowed his pace down, walking with you and Zack.

"Will it be alright if you two share a room with each other?" Zack and you looked at him for a moment then glanced ahead at Genesis and Sephiroth. Instantly you understood why he asked that. The atmosphere around both of them was tense. It only made sense that Angeal would want to stay in the same room as them, just in case something happened.

"No problem." You replied as Zack placed his hand on your head, messing up your hair. "Yeah, what she said." Zack said, smiling as he messed your hair up some more. "Hey! No!" You ran up the stairs and stopped when you got a little ahead of Genesis and Sephiroth. Genesis looked at your hair for a few seconds with a low chuckle while Sephiroth just smirked. Quickly, you fixed your hair then turned around, staring silently at Zack. The older teen raised a brow at you.

Both of you stared at each other, refusing to blink. At least until you missed a step and tripped, falling backwards. But before anyone could catch you, you bent back as much as you could, in that awkward position you were in, with hands over your head as you placed them on a step. Springing upwards into a jump back flip, you landed at the top of the stairs in a kneeling position.

"Nice recovery." Sephiroth complimented as you stood up, wincing a bit. He glanced at your knee. "So your extra training did help a bit." Genesis commented as he eyed your knee as well. I think I might have gone down too hard on my knee when I landed that... Each time you walked you felt slight pain, but tried not to pay too much mind to it since it didn't hurt too badly.

When you got to your rooms, Sephiroth swiftly slid the key cards through the doors. Once opened, everyone went in and dropped off their belongings. When Zack and you entered your room, it almost looked like any normal hotel room. The exception being that it was dark and gloomy, along with a few minor different features...

The three beds were along the left wall, the farthest bed being near a window that had occasional flashes of lightning. On the right side of the window was a green dresser with a skull night light, and on the ceiling was a candle chandelier. In the right corner, closest to the door, was a table with two chairs around it with a candle on the top.

"Well this is depressing." Zack dropped his backpack in a chair as you placed yours into the other chair. "We won't have to be in here that much, so no need to worry." You patted his shoulder. "Alright, let's get out of here then!" Zack ran out of the room, soon followed by you. You both ran into the room across from yours, wondering if the others were ready yet. When you came in, Angeal was placing his stuff on the middle bed while Sephiroth's was by the door and Genesis' was by the window.

"Come on, let's go ride things already!" Zack urged, eagerly. You couldn't help but laugh at Zack's childishness. "Settle down, puppy." Genesis didn't even spare him a glance, just continued to do what he was doing. "I'm not a puppy, Genesis!" Zack told him quickly. "Denial is the first stage. You will soon accept it." Angeal, finished with what he was doing, walked over to the door, "Genesis, don't provoke him. No need for an argument to happen." Angeal said, making Zack fall silent and Genesis just scoff.

You smiled at Angeal, liking how he was always almost able to bring peace to a situation. He returned the smile, having an idea of what you were thinking. "Can we go now, please?" You asked, looking at each of the 1sts. "You all can go. I'll stay here." Genesis moved to his bed, Loveless in hand. You raised a brow at him as Zack questioned him. "You would rather stay in this gloomy room alone then go on rides?" He simply responded with a nod of his head. You stared at him in disbelief. "How can you do that!?" Zack asked in disbelief as well. "The arrow has left the bow of the goddess." Genesis quoted silently. You stared at him for a moment before walking over to his bedside.

You tried to hold back the mischievous smile that was threatening to appear on your face as you leaned a little closer to him. He then looked at you from the corner of his eyes when you got close enough to read some of it. When a few more seconds had passed, you snatched the book from him, and ran as fast as you could out of the room, leaving Genesis in slight surprise. This left you about five extra seconds to go in your room and hide it in your backpack before coming back out. In times like these, you were glad to be one of the smallest, lightest people in SOLDIER.

When he left the room, you were leaning against the hallway wall, fighting against a smirk that was threatening to implant itself on your face. Genesis stared at you, wondering why you weren't running. And it was in this moment that it hit him. You hid it. "Where is it?" His voice was low in a tone you didn't hear too often. He began to approach, looking as if he was a predator, stalking his prey. You knew better than to just stay against the wall since there was a chance he would pin you to it, so you walked down the hall, trying to match each of his steps with an extra one.

"Somewhere." A playful smile crossed your lips as you looked over your shoulder at him and held your hands behind you, as if to show him that it wasn't with you. "If you come with us, then you might get it back." You added making him sigh. "Even when you're on vacation you think about work?" Sephiroth teased. Genesis glared at him then turned to go down the hall and walked down the stairs and out the building.

"Wow... so if someone had just said that then he would've came?" Zack asked to particularly no one. "It appears so." Angeal answered as he made his way down the stairs and out the building. The rest of you followed him out and met back up with Genesis since he was waiting for you outside.

**After Earning At Least 10 GP (Gold Points) Each**

Finally getting out of the hotel, the five of you listened intently to a worker explain the rules on a roller coaster you guys were going to ride. It was called the Shooting Coaster. She was giving you the instructions as if you were children. "When your ride's going zoom, you're going bang bang, and things are going phew phew and you destroy them with a big boom. Pretty simple, isn't it?" She explained as all of you just stared at her like she was an idiot.

"...It's in my job description to talk like that." She placed her hands on her hips, a blush clearly noticeable on her face. "Oh, and the bar that's shown on the left side of the roller coaster is the power meter." She added, regaining her posture. "When its full it'll go BROOOM and when it's empty, it'll only go BRM and become weak. So be careful." She warned, "Also, if you're in the top three, you'll get on the wall of fame." She then motioned to the roller coaster that could only hold three people, "Now, if you're ready, get on."

After several minutes of deciding who would be the third person to ride, since Zack and you obviously wanted to go, but the others didn't really care, Angeal and Genesis decided on Sephiroth going, as much as he refused. In the end, however, Zack and you agreed on them going on first, ignoring their responses to your decision. You two thought it would be funny if they all went on together.

They kept saying it would ruin their SOLDIER honor if they did this, but in the end, they decided that you and Zack would just go, disappointing you both. Zack was in the front seat while you were behind him. When you both were safely secured in your seats, the ride began.

As you slowly went up the hill, you finally realized that the atmosphere was night with a very starry sky. When you made it fully up the hill you saw a welcome sign, and couldn't resist. You started to shoot at it uncontrollably before instantly going on a slightly long turn to the right downwards. Zack raised his hands up in the air, gun in hand, laughing like a maniac. Not too long after that, small ghosts appeared in front of him. "Ahh!" He yelled in shock, pulling his gun down, shooting one while you shot the other, laughing at him.

Soon after they were killed you went up a loop, and when you got out of it, more ghosts were in front of the way. "They want revenge!" Zack cried out, shooting in random directions. "They'll never take us alive! Never!" You yelled, playing along with him, shooting at the ghosts, missing one or two of them.

"That's the spirit!" Zack said, shooting at a cactus and a miniature ufo. In the next few seconds, the monsters began to spawn even faster so they were basically on every turn you made. "This is war!" Zack yelled, shooting at a couple of airplanes.

Soon after that, the airplanes began to come straight for the person in the 1st seat, making Zack jump a little. "Ahh! They're trying to kamikaze!" Zack shot one that was about two feet from hitting him. The higher in the night sky you went, the attacks began to lessen. At least until the stars started hitting you. "Noo! Out of all things, it had to be this!" You cried in dismay, shooting at a star you only wanted to admire.

**Several Minutes Into The Ride**

Zack and you were going along a curve with balloons all around, both of you just shooting at random things. When the balloons were gone, you dealt with more enemies until a giant ufo was in front of you. "Oh Gaia! They're trying to abduct us now!" Zack shot non stop at the ufo. "But if they do that, then...!" You started to shoot at the bottom where the rays were coming out. "Screw you and your research!" You grinned.

After about ten seconds of shooting at it, it exploded, and you went down the tracks in a swirl, which was very unexpected, so you both let out a long scream. When that ended you both were laughing as the rest of the ride was smooth. When you both got out, you felt dizzy and couldn't really stand up straight. You looked up at the scoreboard as it calculated your points. "1724 points." The man told you both. "Oh man! I thought we did better than that!" Zack pouted.

The guy shook his head. "No, you actually did worse. I added your points together 'cause I felt bad for you." He replied, "You should have been listening to the instructions. She warned you about shooting nonstop." He added with a shrug, "Maybe you'll do better next time." He told you two before returning to reading his magazine.

"Well that was entertaining." Sephiroth chuckled. Zack and you couldn't help but grin. "Back to the arcade?" Angeal asked as Zack and you nodded your heads since you were out of gold points. When you guys went back to Wonder Square, there weren't that much people since it was still early in the morning, so you guys took this opportunity to gain as much GP as you could. Well, mainly Zack and you, but that didn't mean that the others weren't playing.

Sephiroth and Genesis were playing the fighting game with the holographic characters while Angeal played the motorcycle game with Zack stopping every now and then to cheer him on. You had been playing the snowboard game earlier, but stopped to make sure that Genesis and Sephiroth didn't get in an argument.

Sephiroth's character punched Genesis' in the face while Genesis' kicked his in the stomach before attempting to punch Sephiroth's in the face, but Sephiroth blocked it. This battle continued for the next five minutes since the game was a little slow and had slightly predictable movements. The winner turned out to be Sephiroth. Genesis scowled, "Again." Sephiroth smirked, "Fine with me." He said, putting his GP in his pocket before starting the game again. You looked from Genesis to Sephiroth then back to Genesis again. So Genesis won't quit until he wins...

You watched the game for about another minute before getting tired of watching the delayed attacks. No matter how fast they pressed the buttons, it was still slow as hell. You went back over to the snowboard game and began to play to your hearts content. "Damn, moogles!" You cursed at the screen when they got in the way of your snowboard, moving from left to right. Now Zack was on the motorcycle while Angeal watched you both, clearly amused.

"Haha! They'll never catch me!" Zack said, speeding past the enemies and the truck he was suppose to protect. "Zack, you're suppose to kill them, not run from them." Angeal laughed as they attacked the truck, bringing his score down. "My points! Damn you!" Zack began slashing his sword on random sides of him, hitting their tires and making them produce sparks before crashing. This made Zack laugh like a mad man.

You couldn't help but take your eyes off of your game to look at his when this little scene happened and laughed as well. When you looked back at yours you had crashed into another moogle sending it flying into the air. "Noo!" You cried as you lost more points before starting again and getting hit by a few more making Angeal laugh.

**1 Hour Later**

After earning at least 70 GP or more each, you guys went to the food area for some pizza and drinks, and were now resting by watching a play in the Event Square. It was about two knights and a princess. The three of them came from different kingdoms and were enemies with one another, yet the two knights shared the same love for the princess, and she too, fell in love with them both, not knowing what to do.

"Oh, what should I do?" She asked to particularly no one, facing the audience while sitting on her bed. "If father ever found out, he would be sure to do whatever he can to have them killed!" She cried out. "What do you think I should do?" She asked the crowd. The audience began to shout out things like, 'Forget about John and go with Matt!' a few girls told her, most likely since they thought they looked cute together. 'No! Pick John! He'll be able to protect a babe like you!' a guy yelled. 'Screw them both and come with a real man like me, sexy!' another guy called to her.

"Oh, this is no use!" The young girl cried on her bed as a woman came on the stage. "What ails you my darling daughter?" She sat next to her, putting a hand under her tear stained face, bringing her to look up at her. "It is nothing mother." She told her, wiping away her tears. "Do not tell me that when you're in such sorrow!" She wiped away the new tears that appeared.

"Now tell me, sweetie." The princess hesitated before explaining what happened. "I see... and where are they from?" The princess, thinking she could trust her, told her."What!? You're in love with our enemies! How could you!?" Her mother got up and left the room to tell her husband. Pausing by the doorway, she looked back to her daughter, "I'm only doing this because I worry for your safety."

The princess laid back on her bed, crying as the lights darkened, letting the crowd get a break to get drinks or stretch. "I have a feeling this is gonna be corny." Zack crossed his arms as he slid down in his chair a bit. "What makes you say that?" Genesis asked. "Most love story plays that are under an hour usually are." Zack replied before standing up, "I'm gonna get a soda. Be back in a minute." Angeal nodded his head as he left.

**Twenty-Five Minutes Later**

"What is this!? You've been loving another man instead of me!?" John questioned, pointing his paper sword at Matt. "I second that!" Matt said, doing the same with his sword, "How could you cheat like that?" The princess jumped in alarm, "I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself, you both have everything that I could ever want in a man! I love you both deeply!" She confessed, "You don't love us. If you did then you never would have cheated!" John told her. "No, I really do love you! It's just tha-" Matt interrupted her.

"Silence! We're tired of your lies!" Matt threw his paper sword at her. It landed no more than a foot away from her. Quickly, she picked it up and placed it in her stomach, letting out a cry of pain as she placed the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically, before dropping to the ground, motionless. The audience let out a few gasps and someone yelled out, 'What a twist!'. Matt and John looked at her for a few seconds then looked at each other and shook hands. "I guess we should try to convince our kings to bring the peace between our kingdoms?" Matt asked as John nodded his head.

"Well then, I bid you a farewell, Mathew!" John said with a wave, and Matt returned the gesture with a smile. "Fare thee well, dear Johnathan." They both walked to opposite sides of the stage as the curtain fell on top of the 'dead' princess, still showing about half of her body. At least until someone dragged the rest of her behind the curtain. The audience was in silence before clapping a bit while murmuring to themselves about what just happened as some people began to leave.

"It looks like I was right! This is corny." Zack said with a lazy smile as a man came on stage with a microphone. "I hope you all enjoyed that! Up next is none other than the famous story Loveless! This is a special day because this will be the first time it is seen here at Golden Saucer! Not to mention today is the end of the first week for the grand opening of this wonderful amusement park!" The crowd gave a very lively cheer.

Genesis eyes widened in surprise, not expecting this. The Loveless fanatic straightened himself up in his seat. "I guess this means we're staying?" Sephiroth asked, looking from the corner of his eye at Genesis. Genesis nodded his head with a hint of a smile on his face. "There will be another ten minute break, so until the show begins, get yourselves some refreshments!" He told everyone before walking off the stage. The moment he stopped talking, everyone was talking to themselves about the play in almost as much shock as Genesis was in.

"I just hope that they don't ruin the story." Genesis muttered to himself, leaning back in his seat. When a few minutes passed, you reached a hand in your pocket, pulling out your PHS. Seven more minutes. You put it back in your pocket and crossed your arms, waiting silently. Now was your chance to finally have some kind of idea of what Loveless was about. Yes, you knew it had to do with some kind of 'Gift of the Goddess', but other than that, you were clueless.

Your eyes widen in remembrance of what Zack and you had to do. I wonder if he forgot too? You looked over at Zack as he was drinking his soda. "Zack." You elbowed him a little, trying to get his attention, just in case he didn't hear you. "Yeah?" He turned his head your way, "When do you think we should do you know what?" You asked smiling. "Huh? What?" He gave you a confused look. "The punishment." He leaned back and crossed his arms, thinking. "Hmm... we could do it later in the evening when there are more people here so it will be easier to run away." Zack said after a moment, smirking.

"Run away? That will be difficult either way." You laughed, "Unless we leave that part out..." You suggested slowly. "You're changing your own idea? Even when we shook on it!?" Zack asked a little too loudly, gaining a couple peoples attention. You both already had the attention of the trio since they had mako enhanced hearing. "But if we both disagree with it then we don't have to do it." You said with a slight frown. "...What was the last part again? I only remember the first part." Zack chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

You let out a small smile and you shook your head a little then sat up, whispering the last part to him. The trio was unable to hear this part since your voice was drowned out by the crowd around you. "Alright, you win. Even if we did do that, it would be difficult to do the next part like you said..." Zack said as you chuckled. "But that just means you'll have to do something else in replacement of that since you were the one who changed your own idea." Zack smirked.

"And that would be?" It took a while for him to think of something before whispering it to you. By the time he pulled away from you, your eyes were wide, and you quickly shook your head. "What!? That's just- bu- can we just go with the original idea!? Please?" You begged frowning. "Alright, fine." He sighed, dreading what will soon happen. Several minutes later, the man came back on stage, and the audience began to quiet down, "And now, I present to you, Loveless!" The audience clapped and he took his leave off the stage, the curtain now rising.

**Several Hours Later**

So far, three men searched for the Gift of the Goddess, but their fates were scattered by war. One became a hero, one wandered the land, and the last was taken prisoner. But the three are still bound by a solemn oath to seek the answer once again. The prisoner escaped the war, but was gravely wounded. His life is saved, however, by a woman of the opposing nation. He began a life of seclusion with her, which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss. But as happiness grows, so does guilt of not fulfilling the oath to his friends. As the war sends the world hurtling towards destruction, the prisoner has no choice but to depart.

"Do you really have to leave?" The young woman asked, walking over to her love. "I promised. The people I love are waiting." He replied, looking into her eyes. "...I don't understand. Not at all. But... please take care of yourself." They both embraced each other. "Of course... I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing you'll be here." He told her with a gentle kiss on her forehead before departing from his newfound love to embark on a new journey.

"He is guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss, along with the oath he swore to his friends. Though no oath is shared between the lovers, in their hearts they know they will meet again." The narrator told the audience. "The prisoner meets with the friend who wandered. The wanderer was dying and the world is ending. He is furious that the prisoner gave up on their quest so he could pursue love while he remained loveless. The wanderer knows that in order to end it, one of them must die. And so he initiates a fight to the death."

"How could you forget about our promise just because of a woman!?" He rushed towards the prisoner with his plastic sword, both of their swords connecting before they jumped away from each other. The prisoner stayed silent, guilt showing in his eyes, and yet, at the same time anger. He ran towards the wanderer aiming for his side, only meeting with his blade once again. They continued fighting for several minutes.

"The prisoner, unable to kill his old friend, allows himself to be killed. The prisoner's sacrifice was the Gift of the Goddess, and its realization saved the world. The prisoner never returned to his lover, rendering her Loveless. The namesake of the poem. She was not alone, however, even though her lover died and saved the world, and she would have him as long as she lived in the world. And so, the prisoners sacrifice saved the world and his love." The narrator explained as the people finished playing the scene and the curtain fell down, signalling it's end.

The audience rose from their seats, some people crying and clapping. When the noise died down, you looked around before standing up as well, stretching a bit. Genesis let out a sigh of relief, "So they didn't ruin it too much... I'm glad." He smiled a little as he stood up. Zack pulled out his PHS, "3:02 pm... this play was like four hours long!" Zack complained, standing up. "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the goddess." Genesis smirked as he walked into the isle, heading to the exit of the Event Square.

Zack looked after him, scratching the back of his head with a confused expression. "Can we go on more rides now? We've only been on one." You said looking at Angeal and Sephiroth. They both nodded their heads, all of you now following Genesis to the exit. When you got back to the main room, you guys went back into Speed Square, checking if they had any other rides. Sadly, they didn't, but the guy in the chocobo costume was hopping around the room, and there were lots of people in there as well.

"Guess we'll just go somewhere else then." Angeal suggested, eyeing the crowd that hasn't noticed the SOLDIER's presence yet. "Okay, Angeal. Mekina and I will be with you guys in a minute. We're gonna go take a look at something." Angeal raised an eyebrow at him, suspiciously. "...Alright, just don't take too long." He finally said before going back in the main room with Sephiroth and Genesis. "Well, that was too easy." You said with a smirk as Zack nodded his head. Both of you turned back around, facing the chocobo and the crowd of people surrounding him.

You were happy that you took your hoodie with you so you were able to cover your head with the hood, casting half of your face in a shadow. Your hoodie was zipped all the way up though. Zack was also wearing casual clothes, but his didn't consist of a hood. "At first this seemed like a fun idea, but now..." Zack trailed off eyeing the crowd, "I know what you mean." You eyed the chocobo costume for a moment before taking off your hoodie and leaving it in a safe place.

"Why'd you do that?" Zack asked before his eyes examined you. "Looks like someone matured." Zack chuckled as you smiled a little, not answering since the modest feeling began to return. "Come on, the others are waiting!" You ran through the crowd and towards the chocobo. "Hey! Wait!" Zack ran after you.

"Welcome to the Go-" You tackled him to the ground, making the people around you gasp in surprise. Zack broke through the crowd next and jumped him as well, throwing a few punches at him. The man in the costume let out a cry of pain before rolling over, causing you both fall to the ground before standing up.

"You wanna mess with me you little shits!?" He held his winged arms up in a fighting stance, "Well, bring it on!" The crowd watched in silence for a few seconds before bursting into cheers. "Yeah! Now things are getting interesting!" Someone yelled. The crowd began to root for either Zack and you or the chocobo man. Both of you stared at the pissed off chocobo for a moment then rushed towards him, knocking him to the ground. The man attempted swatting you both away with his big wings, but you stepped on one pinning it to the ground, and kicked him continuously in the side.

Zack was sitting on him, punching the area where his face was, trying to quickly knock the man out. The man raised his other arm hitting, Zack in the head, knocking him down. Once this happened, he turned your way and hit you in the stomach, knocking you down as well. The chocobo then stood up from the ground, dancing around victoriously. "Damn it. Now he's taunting us!" Zack said with a hand to his head as he stood up. Zack held up his hands, one open as he pounded his other one into it.

The chocobo stopped dancing, now looking as if he was ready to charge at him. "Come and get it!" Zack rushed towards him in a swift blur, punching him in the face and stomach several times before kicking him into the crowd, all in a matter of seconds. You stood up with an arm around your stomach, shocked at how fast he was. Zack began to advance on him, and when he got a hold on him, dragged him back into the ring the crowd had made. He held him up and punched him a few more times before throwing him on the ground.

You waited until he got back up to start attacking. You kicked him in the side then turned around, kicking him with your other leg in mid air, making him hit the ground once more. When he got back up this time, he tried to run away, and broke through the crowd towards the hole that led to the main entrance where Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth were waiting. Zack and you didn't give him the chance to escape that far, and went on each side of him, grabbing him by his wings, then forced him behind the wall that led to the entrance.

The crowd quieted down at this in confusion, waiting for something to happen for about a minute, but when nothing did, they slowly began to disperse, going their separate ways, talking amongst themselves. Zack and you had successfully knocked him out and now had taken him out of the suit, leaving him against the far wall. Both of you were disgusted by this since we was hairy and sweaty. Zack bent down and hesitantly smelled the inside of the chocobo suit, instantly regretting it as he began to cough hard. You patted his back, never taking your eyes away from the costume. "Do we have to? We'll smell just as bad as he does if we do it!" Zack frowned.

"This was why I took my jacket off. And it's either this or your idea." You replied as his eyes widened in fear. "Alright!" Zack pouted before slowly climbing in, "Zack! Yo-" Zack interrupted you. "A man should go in first instead of letting a woman go before him!" He told you, coughing. You sighed a little then slowly got in as well, instantly coughing. Once you guys were able to stand in it, you took a few steps, trying to get used to it. "All that's left now is to go to Wonder Square..." Zack said.

"Oh man... what in the name of Gaia was I thinking!?" You asked yourself as you both walked to the hole and jumped in. When you both arrived at the main area in the yellow room, you saw Sephiroth, Angeal, and genesis, looking at the info box. They turned in your direction, looking at you as you both stumbled over to the Wonder Square hole, quickly jum- no, tripping into it. When you got inside you went up the stairs and down the hall, passing the crowds of people as you headed to the arcade.

You both stopped when you saw all the kids and adults in there and couldn't help but be hesitant for what was to come. "Let's just get this over with." Zack said as you both walked over to an area big enough for your next plan. "Welcome to the Gold Saucer!" You exclaimed, gaining some attention. "Look everyone! I'm a pinata!" Zack words gained all the kids attention. "Candy!" A kid yelled, running over to hit the costume and, within a matter of seconds, more kids surrounded you, beginning their assault.

"Ahh!" You screamed as they climbed on top of you both, knocking you to the ground. Some kids began jumping up and down on you as a few more punched the costumes head, eventually knocking it off. Quickly, you two climbed out, and crawled away, unnoticed. "Geez! It's like their parents are depriving them of candy or something!" Zack said when you both were a safe distance away, panting as you watched the costume get destroyed. "What the heck? There's no candy in here!" A kid cried out, kicking the head of the costume away.

You looked over at Zack as he stared at the candy deprived children. His hair was messed up and his clothes were disheveled. He looked completely worn out. You stared for a few seconds longer until you started laughing. He stared at you in confusion, but soon noticed how you looked and couldn't help but laugh as well.

After a minute or two, your laughter died down into chuckles, and you were able to speak. "I think we kept them waiting long enough. And I need to get my jacket back." You stood up with Zack. "Let's hurry before we get caught." Zack said as you both walked to the entrance of Wonder Square and jumped in the hole that said Speed Square. You went over to the place you left your hoodie only to find out that it wasn't there anymore. "Someone took it already..." You looked around the area at the people passing by.

"Do you mean this?" Zack and you froze and slowly turned around. There stood only Angeal holding your hoodie out for you to take. You gingerly grabbed it, looking at him nervously. "Thanks, Angeal." He nodded his head to you. "So, the punishment was that you both had to beat up the man in the chocobo costume?" Angeal questioned, making Zack and you feel uneasy. Both of you nodded your heads, hesitantly. "And then, you stole the costume?" Both of you slowly nodded your heads once again.

"Where is it now?" He questioned. "Some candy deprived kids destroyed it." Zack said as you turned your head to the side, trying not to laugh. Confusion ran across Angeal's face. "Where is Sephiroth and Genesis?" Zack asked, trying to change the subject. "We split up to look for you." Angeal sighed. "You do know that you could get arrested for what you've done." He said sternly. "With the charges of assault, damaging property, stealing, and destruction of someone elses property."

"Eh, destruction of someone elses property? I get damaging it, but we didn't destroy it." Zack frowned. "You both did something to make the kids go that far. For example, saying that you're made of candy could make any child go crazy." Angeal crossed his arms. "What about your SOLDIER honor?" You and Zack looked to the ground, "You both want to be 1st class, but if you keep acting this way, you won't be able to get there." Angeal scolded, starting his lecture about SOLDIER honor, dreams, etc.

**Many Minutes Later**

After the lecture Angeal gave you both, the three of you eventually found Sephiroth and Genesis and did what you guys had originally planned to do. And that was to go into different sections of Golden Saucer and ride more rides. After riding rides for about two hours, you guys went to the food section and had pizza for dinner, and were now heading back to your hotel to relax for a little bit. Zack was laying on his bed, while you sat on yours. "Too bad days like today don't come often." Zack said, staring at the ceiling with his arms behind his head.

"Yeah... it's been fun." You looked at the clock on the wall that ticked as it read 6:42 pm. "Angeal said we can stay out as long as we want. But just as long as we get some sleep, at least." Zack grinned, "Sweet!" Your eyes soon traveling to your backpack resting in a chair by the table as you remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot about that." You got off the bed and went over to your backpack, opening it and pulling out Loveless then walked back to your bed with it.

"So that's where it was!" Zack said as you got back on the bed and opened it to page one. After a moment of reading, you closed it with a sigh. "Even in the beginning it's confusing." You said as Zack eyed the book curiously. "When will you give that back to him?" Zack asked, placing his hands behind his head. "Maybe tonight." You leaned back against the wall. "His reactions are kind of amusing, so..."

"Well all I can say is be careful with his destructive behavior." Zack warned with a chuckle. "Thanks for the reminder. I'll try not to go too far." You smiled slightly as you got off the bed, standing up. "Giving it to him already?" Zack asked as you shook your head, "I'm just wondering why he hasn't tried to get it back yet. Do you want to come with me?" Zack shook his head, "Nah. I think I'll stay here a little bit longer." Zack told you. "Alright. See ya later, then." You nodded as you left the room.

You held the book behind you with one hand as you knocked on the door, and when you heard a voice say you could come in, you did so. Genesis was the only one in there. Before you could speak, Genesis beat you to it. "They're still in the hotel, either in the gift shop or talking to the manager." Genesis said, answering your unspoken question and never opening his eyes. His back was against the wall of his bed with an arm slung over a knee, appearing to be deep in thought or trying to sleep.

You observed him for a moment before saying, "Hey Genesis, look!" He opened his eyes, his gaze flickered over to you as you removed your arm from behind your back, showing him his book. A look of remembrance flashed through his eyes, and in a matter of seconds, he was no longer on the bed, or anywhere in sight for that matter. Only a second later did you feel the book get out of your grasp, then soon after, saw Genesis back on the bed with his book, smirking.

"Never underestimate a 1st class SOLDIER, Mekina." He told you as he opened the book, flipping through the pages until he was on the one he was on when you took it from him. "So now that you got it back, you're just going to stay here?" He replied with a simple nod of his head. "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow." Genesis said softly, making you become silent.

After a moment, you walked over to him and gently grabbed his wrist, taking it away from the book. You then tugged him a little towards you, wanting him to get up. He stared at you with a questioning look. "You guys barely get vacation, right? So why stay here when you can have fun out there?" You asked still pulling on his hand lightly. "I already went along with it earlier. And it's almost night." Genesis' eyes lowered to your hand.

"It's more fun at night! Come on, it's gonna be fun." You smiled as you tugged a little harder. Genesis sighed at your childish behavior. He tucked away his precious book safely inside his jacket before getting off the bed as you let go of his hand. "Well, that was oddly easy." He rolled his eyes with a scoff, "Let's just go." He said, walking ahead of you and out of the room with you following. "Where did you want to go?" Genesis asked, both of you walking down the stairs.

"Hmm... does the arcade sound good?" Genesis shrugged a little then looked at you. "You just wanted to go to the arcade?" Now it was your turn to shrug. "That was the first thing that came to mind." You replied as you two left the hotel. When you entered the arcade there weren't as much kids as before, but there were a bit more teenagers and adults there. Genesis noticed the game he played with Sephiroth was open, so he walked over to it and got on one side while you got on the other.

You both put in 100 gil to start, causing your characters to instantly appear. You soon found out that this game was like rock, paper, scissors. Certain attacks would cancel out other attacks, but if you both did the same attack then they were both cancelled out. So basically you both had an equal chance of winning. You punched Genesis' character in the stomach and he kicked yours, then got to attack again, punching your character in the stomach. The next attack was yours as you punched his head, then the next was his, punching yours in the stomach again.

This continued on for a about half a minute and ended when your character dropped to the ground knocked out, both holograms soon disappearing. Genesis retrieved his GP with a light chuckle, "Again?" He asked as you simply nodded your head, putting more gil into the machine. You continued to fight each other for the next few minutes, and in the end, you won twice while he won five times. Luck seemed to be on his side for now. "Can we play the motorcycle game?" You suggested since it was finally open and you didn't get the chance to play it yet.

"Fine with me." He said with a satisfied smirk from his winnings. You both went over to it. "You can go first. I'll watch." Genesis told you. He wanted to see how you handled this. "Suit yourself." You moved to sit on it as you slipped 200 gil in the slot, starting the game. The directions showed on the screen saying how to attack and that if the truck is attacked then you will lose points. Once you memorized the attack buttons, you pressed the okay button letting the game begin.

When the game started you saw a green truck with several people in it ahead of you and drove up a little more behind it. Instantly, enemies on motorcycles began to speed past you and went for the vehicle, but you began slashing your sword at them, knocking them down bringing their tires to sparks. You tried to catch up with the vehicle, but more enemies appeared. Quickly, you tried to take care of them with your sword, only missing one or two as they continued attacking the vehicle. You went back and finished them off before driving beside the vehicle since it sped up once again.

This went on for about another minute and from the score you got, you did pretty good from the games perspective. You got off the bike to retrieve your GP and placed it in your pocket before turning to Genesis. "Was that your first time playing this?" He asked. "Yeah." You said as he got on the bike and put the gil in the slot, "Then it must be very easy to win this game." Genesis said, "Hey! Don't get cocky just 'cause you beat me so many times." He chuckled.

He became silent as the game started, successfully hitting the enemies down in the beginning, then doing the same throughout the rest of the game, earning all of the points. You stared in shock. "I'm guessing that this is your first time too?" You asked as he got of the bike, placing his GP in a coat pocket. "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess." Genesis told you as you stared at him in silence for few seconds. "That has nothing to do with anything, but I'll take that as a yes."

Genesis laughed to himself enjoying how he could confuse you so easily. Turning around and heading towards the exit to the arcade, he left you standing there only more confused. You shifted your weight onto your other leg as you watched him leave for a moment before running after him. "I know where we can go next." He told you when you caught up with him. "And where's that?" You moved to walk beside him, "You'll see." He replied, jumping into the hole that read Event Square along with you.

"Another play?" You raised a brow as you both got out of the hole and went to the auditorium. "I heard that Loveless was playing again, but I also heard that this version would be different and much shorter." He walked down the middle of the aisle, taking a seat somewhere in the back. "You must really love Loveless... you know, if you keep on loving it then it won't be Loveless anymore." You teased, leaning back in your chair, "As true as that may be, it will always be Loveless, even if I do love it." You turned your head to him curiously, "Loveless can symbolize either the woman, who lost her lover, or the wanderer, who continued to pursue the gift of the goddess, never finding love." Genesis said smoothly.

"Well that makes sense..." You said with a nod of your head. A short time after your little conversation, the play began. "When the war of the beasts brings about the worlds end. The goddess descends from the sky," A scene of many people fighting with paper swords on stage began. All of them soon stopping when the 'goddess' descended from the top of the stage, attached to rope. The goddess happened to be a fat man wearing a dress in a sad attempt to look like a girl. "What the...?" Genesis muttered to himself, once he laid eyes on the 'woman'.

"Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss her gift everlasting." When the narrator said this, wings of white and black spread on it's back with a few ropes attached to them before flying off the stage, throwing candy down to the men fighting and the audience. But before the 'goddess' flew behind the curtains, a fireball was shot at its wings, making the person let out a shrill scream as it hit the ground with a loud thud when the ropes burnt apart. "Genesis!" You quickly turned to the angered man as he threw a few more flares at the stage with a wave of his hand, causing the men on stage to run away in fear.

As they ran away the stage lights fell down, only making the fire even worse, and now the audience was in horror, quickly running to the exit. With that finish, Genesis turned around, leaving the Event Square in silence. You quickly went after him, "You didn't have to go that far!" You said not too long after the water system turned on, slightly drizzling you both. "How dare they make a mockery of this!" Genesis with a hint of a growl.

"It was just a parody! Parodies are almost made of everything. They just wanted to make people la-" Genesis interrupted you, "There was nothing funny about it. It was insulting." He left the room and entered the main room with you. "Geez... and I thought I acted like a child." You muttered under your breath, crossing your arms as you walked a little ahead of him. "You do." Genesis told you. "At least I don't lose my temper as easily as you do... your fiery personality matches your hair." You said the last part in a softer tone and turned around to face him.

"Is there something wrong with that?" He said, referring to the last part and ignoring the first while trying to keep calm which he was slowly, but surely, regaining. "No, not at all." You let out an unnoticeable smile. You liked how they matched so well. Faintly in the distance, you could have sworn you heard fireworks. The SOLDIER gave a low hum in thought. The feeling around him became a little less tense when you said that. "...It's your turn to decide where to go." He told you, and hearing this, you let the smile show a little more, glad that you were able to calm him down.

You turned your back to him as you looked at the holes, eyes soon stopping on the one that read Round Square. "When we were going back to the hotel, some people I passed by were talking about a ride in the Round Square..." You walked over to it with Genesis following behind you as you jumped in. When you both entered Round Square, you instantly saw a lady standing in front of a ticket booth and next to a big wooden cart ride. Sitting on top of the ticket booth was a fat chocobo holding an 'In' sign that pointed to the ride.

You also noted that this ride wasn't inside like the others, and instead was under the night sky, filled with bright stars. You walked towards the young woman. "Tickets cost 5 GP." Both of you reached into your pockets and exchanged the GP with her for the tickets. "Here you go. Enjoy the sights of Gold Saucer." She said as you two walked inside the Gondola. When you got in, it looked much smaller than you thought it was, considering how big it looked from the outside.

There were only two wooden benches that faced each other and several windows along the wooden walls. You both sat on different benches, and after a moment, the ride began. You looked out the window as you passed by some structures that had yellow lights on certain areas before going up slowly. The higher you went the more you could see the sights of Gold Saucer. All of the buildings had lights of different colors on them, mainly yellow.

You also soon found out that what you thought you heard before was right. So there were fireworks. Each color that appeared had lit up almost all of Gold Saucer as well as the inside of the ride. Even from as high as you two were you could still hear the crowd of people below cheering in excitement. You felt your cheeks warm up as you realized something you should have caught on sooner. _This is like a date..._ You continued to watch the fireworks in silence.

_Hopefully he doesn't see it that way since I did want him to come... but only because I didn't want him to be left alone... Damn it! Why am I getting this weird feeling again!? I know I like him a little bit more than a friend, but... could it be more than I think it is?_ You looked at him from the corner of your eye as he watched the fireworks, any anger left in him fading away into a different emotion. One of ease. His eyes held a calm and relaxed essence to them, one that matched his composure.

You let your gaze return to the fireworks, completely confused about your emotions. _I hate this feeling... and yet..._ You shook your head deciding to think about something else, and in the end focused on the fireworks. It worked for about a minute until your mind drifted back to what you were thinking about before. _What does it take to get these thoughts out of my head?_ You looked at Genesis again when a strange thought formed in your mind.

_What's wrong with me? This never happened before..._ You turned in your seat, slowly facing him. He seemed not to notice, and now appeared to be thinking as well, his eyes glued to the fireworks. You watched as the fireworks illuminated his body, making him look rather angelic as the colors glowed against his skin and attire. Hesitantly, you rose from your seat and walked over to him, catching his attention.

_Now that I started this, I'll have to finish it..._ Slowly, you bent down a little and kissed him on the forehead for a moment, before pulling away to see his shocked face. Originally you had wanted to give him a real kiss, but your nerves ruined that idea, so in the end you settled for this. "That was for coming with me." You told him softly before turning back around and taking your seat to look out the window once more. Genesis stared at you in silence before also looking out the window, a small smile pulling lightly at the corners of his lips. After what you just did, you had to admit that you felt much better.

The rest of the ride was in a silence that neither of you had ever experienced before with each other. About a few minutes later the ride ended and the door opened instantly. You rose from your seat, deep in thought about what just happened. A moment later you felt Genesis place a hand on your shoulder, turning you to him. "Still always so lost in thought..." He chuckled. Once you were fully facing him, you felt something soft on your cheek, making your eyes widen.

Genesis was gently kissing your cheek, moving the hand that use to be on your shoulder down, stopping above your elbow, holding your arm. He briefly lingered there before pulling away slightly as he raised his other hand, placing it on your left cheek. He lowered his head and paused a little away from your lips as if deciding on whether he should continue. He gazed into your eyes, thinking this over for a long moment before deciding to do so. Closing the remaining gap between you two, he brought his lips to yours.

He wrapped an arm around your waist, trying to get some kind of response out of you when you didn't respond, or move, for a few seconds. _Is this really happening?_ That was the only thing that went through your head completely shocked that he was doing this to you. It felt as if you were in a dreamlike state of mind. A few seconds later, he ended the kiss, and turned his head to the side, going forward a little so his cheek rested against yours.

"That was for earlier." Genesis' voice flowed like velvet. You felt yourself shiver as his warm breath fanned against your skin. You took in a breath, trying to relax as you began to register everything that just happened. A warm sensation spread across your cheeks, and unknown to you, Genesis had another little smirk on his face. And with that, he pulled away and turned around before walking out of the Gondola leaving you frozen in place.

After a moment you raised a hand up, touching your lips. Even when it ended, you still felt the warm sensation of his lips over yours. You walked out after him, the blush still resting upon your face. You couldn't help but to let a small smile show on your face. That was your first kiss after all. He had stopped walking and now was waiting for you to catch up by the exit.

"We should go back to the hotel, it's late." Genesis told you as you nodded your head in agreement, both of you going into the hole leading to your rooms. When you came out of the grave once again, you both walked back into the building and went up the stairs. "Aren't you glad you came?" You asked breaking the silence as you both entered the hall.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess, we seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest." A hint of a smile was present on his face. You looked at him for a while before turning back forward, letting out a quiet sigh of relief, and smiling as well. _So things won't really change that much because of tonight... I'm glad._

"That has nothing to do with anything, but I'll take that as a yes." You repeated just like before, managing to catch his eye. Neither of you knew that in that moment you both had shared similar thoughts. "Good night, Genesis." You gave him a gentle smile before going to your room. "Good night, Mekina." He gave you a light smirk before going to his room as well.

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><p><strong>Just wanted to add in a fun chapter since we'll be getting into Crisis Core soon. I kind of don't like how this chapter ended, but hey... it finally happened ladies, I hope you liked it! And thanks for sticking with the story this long :)<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

The five of you walked out of the entrance of Gold Saucer to the Rope way. Zack and you quickened your pace when you saw the fat chocobo hopping around the entrance like it did when you first arrived. Luckily, he didn't see either of you, and so, you two were the first seated in the Rope way securely, the others following in suit soon after.  
>"Thank the Goddess we're leaving this place..." Genesis muttered under his breath as the door closed and the ride began. The other two 1st's agreed in silence while Zack and you looked out the window, watching Gold Saucer fade away into the distance. All of you had to leave at 4:30 am since the president sent a message insisting that the 1st's came back as soon as possible, just in case Wutai had decided to attack... and to get started on missions again. Mainly for the latter.<br>You watched the lights on Gold Saucer light up the dark sky while thinking about what happened last night. You felt your cheeks heat up involuntarily and refused to turn your head back around until you were sure it was gone. You tried to think about something else and succeeded for the most part. However, the thought still involved Genesis, but it didn't have to do with last night. It was when he asked you if you were afraid of the dark. You began to think back on when you started hearing the voices. It took you about a minute or two until you had something. _Now that I think about it one time is very memorable..._  
>It was when you were still living with your adoptive parents and a SOLDIER came to your house, telling your mother what happened to your father. You were in your room trying to sleep, but you heard a voice in your head. It sounded like your father.<br>You closed your eyes still feeling slightly tired as you lingered more on the memory. The only thing you could get out of it at the time was you thought you heard your name being called. Even though you didn't understand what was being said, the voice still soothed you in a way. Just as your father's voice would do. _It felt like it was drifting away... and then after that... I went downstairs and saw my mother crying with that sword near her... _Suddenly, everything began to click, making your eyes widen. _He was trying to say his last goodbye._  
><em>So the voices I hear are from dead people?<em> You began to pale. _Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions too soon. _Just after that thought, you felt your muscles relax. You didn't even realize how tense you were. Angeal noticed all of this, but stayed silent, beginning to get lost in his thoughts.  
>After several more minutes the ride finally ended and all of you were back in the poor mining town known as Corel, once again. You looked around, watching the people with a somber gaze. There weren't many people out since it was still early, but the few who were, were trying to repair certain areas of the town. <em>Something terrible must have happened recently.<em> Hearing Sephiroth's voice broke you from your observation. "They brought us a helicopter this time." Sephiroth walked to the exit of the small town. When the five of you got out of the town, you saw the helicopter in the distance.  
>"Back to training again!" Zack went into a run towards the helicopter, "I'm gonna be 1st class in no time!" He exclaimed as he jumped in the vehicle. Angeal shook his head with a low chuckle before looking at you. "You got a long day ahead of you, 2nd." Angeal told you. "What are we gonna do?" You asked, excited for your first day of actually doing something as a 2nd class. "You'll see... it's only a matter of time." Angeal replied, resting his hand on your head, before going to the helicopter.<br>You let out a small smile at his fatherly behavior before following after him. "Angeal?" He looked back at you, letting you know you had his attention silently. "Back then, did you only train Zack?" You moved to walk next to him. He shook his head. "I also train about fifteen other 2nds, which now will be including you." You nodded your head in understanding.  
>"I just spend more time on Zack because... even though he's energetic, silly, and acts like a puppy overall... he has potential." He smiled. "True." You said with a little smirk. Both of you got in the helicopter soon taking off since you two were the last ones that had to get on. Most of the ride was silent until Genesis spoke. "Don't you think it's odd how the president sends us away in a hurry, and then wants us to come back just as fast?" Sephiroth changed his gaze to him. "The President has always been this way."<br>"That's besides the point!" Genesis said with a roll of his eyes. "Take it easy, Gen. What Seph said is true, so how is this anything out of the ordinary?" Angeal questioned as Zack and you exchanged looks. _Gen and Seph?_ Both of you chuckled to yourselves, the duo soon giving you two stern looks. Genesis turned back to Angeal, "Well for one, we never really have vacation. And when we would, we'd always go to Costa Del Sol, not this childish place!" He replied.  
>"He probably realized that he's overworking you guys." Zack commented. Genesis scoffed, "For some reason I highly doubt that." He knew just as much as Angeal and Sephiroth that the president didn't give a damn if he overworked them. Which he had already done countless times. Zack continued on, seeming to ignore Genesis' little comment, "And after all, Gen, this is a newly built place! He might have thought you guys would get bored with just chilling on the beach every vacation." Genesis glared at him for using the nickname and Zack rose his hands up in defense. Angeal looked between the two of them<br>Instead of thinking about last night like you normally would have done, against your will of course, you began to think about your adoptive parents and your 'ability'. Even now, you heard voices murmuring quietly in your head, but still couldn't understand what they were saying. To be honest, it freaked you out even more now just by having an idea of what the voices could really be. _At least I'm not insane like I thought I was._ You let out a little chuckle from that thought, gaining Zack's attention.  
>"What's so funny, Meki?" Zack asked, looking at you. "Meki?" You raised a brow, trying to avoid the question. "Yeah! Gen and Seph have nicknames so I thought you should have one too!" You tried not to laugh when you saw the menacing looks Genesis and Sephiroth gave the 2nd. "I see... then you and Angeal should have one too," Now it was your turn to be on the recieving end of a look once again. This time Angeal's. You thought over Zack's name for a moment, "But it's sort of difficult to come up with one for your name..."<br>Genesis' menacing expression changed to one of mischief. "There is no need for that, seeing as the puppy already has one." Zack groaned as you inwardly facepalmed yourself for not realizing that sooner. "Anyways... Meki, you never answered my question." Zack had switched the conversation back, trying to ignore Genesis. The pale color somewhat returned to you as you looked down at the ground and gave a light shrug, not knowing how to respond to him.  
>Angeal looked at you for a moment before getting lost in the same thoughts he had on the Rope Way. Genesis raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing as he began to think similar thoughts to Angeal's. Sephiroth just looked at you in silent question, and Zack looked at you in confusion. Neither of them chose to speak though. <em>Maybe, I should look into some of this stuff when I get back to ShinRa?<em>

**At ShinRa**

You walked down the halls to your new room once all of you departed and went separate ways. Normally, Zack would have been with you, but he woke up too late to even eat anything. You had tried waking him, but he wouldn't even budge. He did stay up most of the night trying to get a date after all. You knew this because somewhere around early morning he came back in the room, and instantly dropped on his bed, falling asleep in mere seconds while muttering words about how the night went.  
>You let out a chuckle before shifting the strap of your back pack over your shoulder, trying to make it more comfortable. You slid your other hand into your pocket, pulling out your PHS, before slipping it back in. It was just a little past 5:00. You entered the 2nd class lobby and walked down the hall to the bedrooms silently, not wanting to disturb the other SOLDIER's from their slumber. When you made it to your room, you slid your key card through the slide before opening the door, stepping inside, and closing it behind you with a soft click.<br>You tossed your back pack on the floor beside your bed and got on top of it, laying on your stomach. Crossing your arms, you rested your cheek on them while looking out the window. _I should probably use this time to look into a few things, especially since training won't start until about an hour and a half from now... but where to look? And how should I start? _  
>You closed your eyes and let a sigh escape your lips as you rolled over on your back, resting your arms behind your head. <em>For starters, maybe I should talk to someone about this. "<em>But who...?" You furrowed your eyebrows, eyes still remaining closed, deep in thought.  
><em>It would have to be someone who is a bit out of the ordinary and knows things that most wouldn't know. Someone like...<em> When someone came to mind your eyes opened, the moonlight shining in them making your eyes appear to have a mysterious glow. "Hojo! Or, uh... Hollander!" You pushed yourself off the bed, and left your room closing the door behind you.  
>You walked through the main room then down the hall, heading to the scientist's lab. After a couple seconds of walking, you slowed your pace down, coming to realize something. <em>I haven't even thought of how to word what I want to tell him yet...<em> You groaned trying to resist a face palm. "And everything that I wanna ask him would only make me sound like I'm insane." You muttered under your breath, coming to a stop. You leaned against the wall and closed your eyes once again, not even bothering to hide the troubled look on your face.  
><em>This is what I get for rushing into things.<em> Opening your eyes, you looked out the window to look over Midgar like you usually did. "Maybe... I'll come up with something later." You told yourself, hopefully. "Hmm..." _The library should be a few floors below the SOLDIER floor. But which section should I look in?_ You pondered with a light push off the wall and continued down the hall towards the elevators.  
>When you finally got in the elevator, you looked up to the piece of paper that rested above the buttons, searching for which floor the library was on. Once you found what you were looking for, you pressed the button, making the door close, before moving downward in the glass elevator. Not to long after, the elevator ceased moving, and the doors opened with a soft 'ding'.<br>Stepping out of the elevator, you furrowed your eyebrows when you caught sight of the two closed doors in front of you and looked down the short hall in both directions. There seemed to be two rooms on each side, all with closed doors as well. You looked back to the doors in front of you, trying to decide which to go in. You picked the right door.  
>When you were close enough, it opened automatically before closing the moment you got inside. There were three big blue bookcases on the right side of the room, all slanting towards the door. The carpet was red and the right wall, along with the one farthest from you, were covered with body sized windows. "And I thought since ShnRa was so rich that they'd have a big library. So much for that idea." You muttered under your breath as you walked over to the first bookshelf, reading the section titles.<br>On the right half of the shelf was, 'Data on experimental animals living near Midgar', while on the left was 'Ranks and extended use of Mako weaponry'. The bookshelf behind that one had 'File on Dr. Gast, Biologist' and 'The Ancients in History'. While the farthest shelf was about 'Final evolutionary stages in land dwelling life' and 'Report on high Mako levels in living beings'.  
><em>Geez, and here I was thinking ShinRa would have a normal library.<em> You brought a hand up to your temple and the other to your elbow, initiating a thinking pose. _None of these sections even sound like they relate to what I'm looking for... but if I don't look, then I could miss something._ Letting out a sigh of frustration, you lowered your arms before going to a random bookshelf, picking out a book from it, and flipped it to the first page. You scanned the page curiously, before flipping to the next page, then shutting the book and placed it back where it was, finding the book on evolutionary stages useless.  
><em>The sections about Mako wouldn't have what I want since as a kid I wasn't near Mako, so there's no way that it's the cause of this... evolutionary stages are useless, and I won't even bother with experiments on animals. Which leaves the File on Dr. Gast, and The Ancients History. <em>You walked over to the middle shelf, "I'll start with the Ancients." You told yourself, reaching for the first book that caught your eye. Opening, and scanning the first page, like you did with the last book, your curiosity began to resurface itself.

**The Ancients are also known as the Cetra. The Cetra look identical to humans, but are deeply spiritual in nature. The Cetra had the unique ability to commune with the Planet, an ability which regular humans lost once they gave up their close relationship with the Planet in favor of leisure and Convenience.**

You continued to read for a few more minutes before sitting on the ground, finding the book to be very interesting. Now normally you weren't exactly into books, the only exception being if it peaked your interest. You were so into the book that you had almost forgotten why you came there in the first place.  
>"It was rumored that people who harbor supernatural abilities are their descendants." You read silently, "Maybe this is what I've been searching for? Then again..." Quickly, you lifted your head up, and looked around the room, searching the walls for a clock. 6:14. <em>I still have time.<em> You thought relieved for a moment before turning your gaze back to the book, indulging yourself.

**Training**

You stood in line up wearing the same purple SOLDIER uniform as the other 2nds, but yours was slightly more feminized just to fit you, of course. Apparently, not many heard of your promotion, considering how almost everyone was giving you looks, and not of the pleasant kind. Very few didn't seem to care, while the majority was rather annoyed, murmuring to themselves quietly.

"How the hell did she get here?"  
>"Great... she's probably a suck up to the higher ups, so they let her become a 2nd."<br>"Well, I've seen her with Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal so you're probably right."

You closed your eyes while furrowing your eyebrows, trying to stay calm and not say anything. You wouldn't let them get to you. At least not on your first day of being a 2nd class. _Just keep your cool. I can't get in a fight with them... especially since i'll be outnumbered. Not to mention they're probably stronger than me._ _Why do they always have to be this way...? All because I'm a girl... Damn sexists. _You let out a deep breath, before trying even harder to ignore the murmurs of the others.

"She's probably a slut!"

That did it. You opened your eyes and glared in the direction you heard that assumption. You opened your mouth about to voice your thoughts, but instead, someone else's voice was heard. "You guys should just keep your thoughts to yourself. Just because she's friends with them, doesn't mean she does 'things' with them to get higher in the ranks. Besides, she's still a kid."  
>The murmurings stopped as everyone looked at the man who defended you. He looked like he was in his mid twenties, had wavy black hair that ended near his chin along with the usual glow of mako infused eyes, and the 2nd class uniform.<br>You relaxed, feeling slightly calm, and smiled at him in silent thanks. He gave you a nod as if to say 'you're welcome'. A few seconds after, Angeal came in and everyone went to attention as he began to explain what you'd all be doing that day, along with some words of encouragement. After all, he was the heart of SOLDIER...


	26. Chapter 26

**Woo, 2 parts in one day xD And, well, I'm not really sure what to think of this chapter... Erm... I hope you like it? Happy 4th of July! :D**

**Disclaimer: Other than my OC Mekina, I own none of this.**

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><p>Entering the SOLDIER lounge, you went over to a couch, and when you were close enough, you dropped on top of it, laying on your stomach. The moment your body made contact with the cool, soft cushions, you breathed out a relaxed sigh. You were completely worn out from your training. Angeal had everyone spar with each other for a bit as a warm up, then after that, you all went to the virtual room to do some missions.<br>In the first mission, monsters were attacking Midgar and everyone had to protect the citizens as well as defeat the monsters. Then in the next one, you had to defend Shinra HQ, the President, and Shinra Operatives from Wutai Soldiers. Since those missions took a while to complete, by the time they were done, it was time for training to end, and now, here you laid. _I can't believe I thought 3rd class training was hard..._  
>You moved your arm a bit, testing if you could push yourself back up and instantly felt pain in your muscles, then just rested your arm back on the couch. Frowning at this, you began to think back to when you were sparring with the others. They didn't go easy on you at all, so you escaped from sparring with some bruises and scars. You clenched your hands tightly, not caring for the pain in them at the moment as you thought about what they said.<br>_So just because I hang out with 1sts sometimes, I'm a slut? I wonder if they would treat me the same way even if I didn't hang out with them,_ you fumed silently. _And now that I think about it... the only times I would hang out with them would be on missions or just training._ You smiled a little at the memories._ Or when I went on vacation with them along with Zack. And at the time, everyone was resting up by doing things like that..._  
>Your PHS vibrated, interrupting your thoughts. Ignoring the soreness, you moved into a sitting possition, and got your PHS out to look at it. <em>A message from the Science Department? That's a first.<em> And with that thought, you began to read.

_Hello, Mekina._

_It is time for your check up, so please come down to the Science Department. This should take no more than five minutes of your time. _

_Be sure to head over to Hojo's lab._

After you read that, you took a look at yourself, frowning at your injuries. _Don't they have Medical Departments around here?_ You carefully got off the couch before leaving the lounge, and went to Hojo's lab.

**Hojo's Lab**

You knocked on the door and almost instantly heard Hojo yell for you to come in. You entered the room and looked over at Hojo, nervously. He examined you with a raised brow. "You just don't know how to stop getting hurt, do you? I'm sure you know the routine by now." You limped over to the table and sat on it, waiting for what was to come. Hojo came over to you with the needle, soon injecting it into you. You bit your lower lip, trying not to make any noise, and within a few more seconds, the pain went away, making you able to move around with some ease again.  
>"Now stay here. I still need to run a few things on you." Hojo told you. He seemed a bit pleased with how you took the injection. He came back to you with another needle, but this one had nothing in it. Then he stuck it in your arm, taking some of your blood. Luckily, this wasn't painful at all. It just stung a little. When it was full, he took it out of your arm, and placed it on his desk so he could run tests on it later.<br>After that, he ran tests on your heart rate and had you do a few push ups and sit ups, like Genesis had done with Hollander. Except you didn't take your top off. Then once that was done, he ran a few more small tests on you, before saying you could leave. Getting off the table, you stretched your body out, happy that you were pain free then walked out of the lab, thanking him. He just nodded to you before beginning the tests on your blood sample.  
>As you left the room, you decided to just go for a walk since you didn't have much else to do that day. Slipping your PHS out of your pocket, you looked at the time. 3:12 pm. Putting your PHS back in your pocket, you felt your stomach growl. I guess I'll walk around after I eat something, you turned back around and went in the direction towards the cafeteria.<p>

**A Couple Minutes Later**

Now sitting at a table, you were eating the usual weird looking food, not including the apple you picked up. When you were about halfway done, you heard someone calling your name. You looked around, eyes soon laying on your friend, Takamo. "Hey, long time no see!" Takamo said, as he went over to you with his tray of food. "Yeah! So how have you been?" You asked smiling at him. "Pretty good, actually. Is this seat taken?" He asked looking at the one in front of you. You shook your head and he sat down.  
>"How are you doing?" He asked, "Okay for now. I just have to get use to a few things though." Takamo raised an eyebrow at this before realization crossed his face. "You mean being in 2nd class? Congratulations, by the way!" You grinned, "Thanks, and yeah. I just gotta get use to the training."<br>He nodded his head at this while taking a bite of his food, "It took me a while to get use to it too, but don't worry about it. The most it'll take to get you used to it is about two weeks." Now it was your turn to raise your eyebrows at this. "Two weeks? Wait, you're a 2nd class too!? Good job, Takamo!" You got up and reached over the table to pat his head which caused him to move away from you. "Heeey!" You laughed at this before sitting back down again, both of you talking about random things while finishing your food.

**Not Too Long After**

After eating, both of you went separate ways since Takamo had a mission, so you just walked around HQ a bit. As you walked around, you eventually came across the library again, and thought on whether or not you should go in, but eventually decided against it before continuing on your way. When you got closer, you saw a figure come out of the library and head towards your direction. After a moment, you recognized the person and revealed a small smile. "Hey, Genesis." He looked over to you, a light smile crossing over his face as well.  
>"Hello, Mekina... what brings you to these parts?" The red SOLDIER knew that it wasn't normal for 2nds or 3rds to be near the library since most of the time they always focused on missions, training, or resting. And especially since it was near the science department, so the scientists would go to them frequently. So in other words, most of the SOLDIER's wanted to avoid them. "No reason, really. Just wanted to walk around for a bit." You told him. "And I had a check up not too long ago..." Genesis nodded his head, "I see... well, if you keep going further, you'll end up at a dead end." You blinked at this before looking past him and down the hall, seeing an elevator.<br>"You need a keycard to get higher in the building. And in order for you to obtain that, you have to be a very important Shinra operative or a 1st class." He enlightened you when he noticed you glance behind him. You frowned at his words. "Understood..." He began to walk past you. "I need to give something to Hollander. You can come with me if you desire to, seeing as you don't have much to do." He looked over his shoulder at you as he said the last part, smirking a little before turning back forward soon after.  
>You watched him walk away for a moment, then looked back at the elevator curiously. <em>I wonder what they're hiding up there... but aside from that...<em> you turned back to Genesis._ At least I can spend some more time with him now. Even if it's for only a few minutes..._ Walking after him, you soon caught up and now walked at his side. Now that you were closer to him, you noticed that he seemed to be pondering over something deeply, and also noted the book in his hand. It wasn't covered in white leather like LOVELESS, but instead was a dark blue. The title said something about 'Mako levels in humans' in bold.  
><em>Hollander must be researching about SOLDIER.<em> You looked back up ahead, letting your mind go to other things, eventually thinking about what some of the 2nd class were saying. Then a thought came to you. _That night when we kissed!_ Soon your mind was filled with questions. _What would happen if any of the higher ups found out about that? What if there was some kind of rule against these kinds of things? Most likely there is... I don't think I read all of the rules yet... it never really crossed my mind._ Looking to the ground, you didn't really understand what you were feeling now. Was it fear?  
><em>Why did I make the first move? But... it felt so right to do that though, even if it was just a little kiss on the forehead. If only I just stayed where I was! Then...!<em> You trailed off on that thought as another thought came to you. _Would this make me what those guys said I was...? A... slut?_ After a moment of thinking that over, you lightly shook your head. _No... sluts do things with multiple guys, not one... I'm probably just overreacting. There's nothing wrong with a girl being in love._ Your eyes widened after that thought.  
><em>Love? Now I'm just rushing things!<em> A little blush appeared on your face. Soon after that, you heard a chuckle. "You're very amusing... first you seem troubled, then you start blushing." You looked the opposite way from him, trying to hide your face from view. You didn't know what to say, so you just stayed silent. A small gasp escaped from you when you felt Genesis place his fingers under your chin, gently turning you to face him. This surprised you. Your face deepened in color from this new action.  
>Genesis examined your face. A gentle smile soon rested on his lips. "There is no hate, only joy, for you are beloved by the Goddess..." <em>Genesis...<em> You felt your face heat up even more at his words as well as the tone of his voice. It became soft and smooth. He lightly trailed a finger along your jawline before pulling away, continuing on to Hollander's lab. When he moved away from you, you let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding in.  
><em>I never seen him act like that before...<em> You placed a hand over your chest, trying to calm your fast beating heart. After only a moment, you rose your hand to your necklace, grasping it gently for a bit, before following after him. By the time you caught up to him, your blush decreased, but still lingered. He took a glance at you when you were next to him. "What was troubling you?" You looked at him, meeting his gaze silently. "Just was thinking over a few things. It's nothing too serious though." You lied.  
>You knew if you told him about what happened earlier, then he'd probably do something, which would most likely only make things worse. And you didn't really know what would happen if you brought up the kiss. You did want to know about the rules some more, but you were sure you could hold off until you got back to your room to skim through them. Besides, asking about that may make things a little more than awkward for the both of you.<br>Genesis raised an eyebrow at you. "Is that so? Well, we're almost to Hollander's lab." You had a feeling he knew you didn't tell him the truth, but for some reason just let it go. "And when we get there, you may have to wait outside for a while. Hollander and I need to discuss over a few things." His tone changed as he said the last part. "Alright." You nodded carefully. _And I thought we'd go different ways when this was over._ You smiled at how the thought was proven wrong. After about another minute of walking, you both arrived outside Hollander's lab.  
>"I'll be back shortly." Genesis told you before going inside. You leaned against the wall, wondering what the two of you would do now. There wasn't much to do around HQ, and ever since that accident happened to Genesis in the virtual room, you noticed they stopped going in there. Sure, every now and then you would join them in there, but you wouldn't do it all the time. You didn't want to intrude on them constantly. That, and you had put much thought into how they held back on you, and tried to see it from their perspective.<br>_If I always had to hold back when fighting against a weakling, then I'd be pretty bored of the fight..._ The last fight you had with them flashed through your mind. _After watching Genesis and Sephiroth fight, I even realized how much Genesis held back when fighting me..._ The rest of the fight played in your head, and soon, the image of Genesis getting hurt came up. This made you think over a few more things. _I wonder how his shoulder's doing now? I remember I saw him holding his shoulder a few weeks ago, even though it happened a couple months back... and Hollander did say it wasn't healing properly. I'll ask him about it later..._

**Several Minutes Later**

When Genesis came back out, he seemed to be slightly annoyed about whatever just happened, but hid most of it well under a calm facade. "I was planning on going in Midgar when this was done. Do you still want to come along?" With a light push off the wall, you walked over to him, "Well I did wait for you, Genesis." You stopped a few feet away from him. "Indeed you did..." You tilted your head slightly to the side, examining him. _He's acting a little different... __kind of distant._  
>He walked to the right of you, barely giving his left shoulder a small, hardly noticeable roll. You furrowed your eyebrows at this as you began walking as well. "Genesis... how is your shoulder doing?" He looked back at you, surprise noticeable in his eyes for a moment, before he recovered. "I'm fine, don't worry." He reassured. "I see." You walked beside him once again. "So how long do you think we'll be away?" You questioned, changing the subject like he did before, not really convinced with him.<br>"That depends on how fast something turns up. And if we get side tracked." Genesis said with a light smirk, "It's been a while since I went around Midgar." You both went to the elevator down the hall, and pressed the button, waiting for the doors to open. "What are we looking for? It's been a while for me too." You said as the doors opened, both of you entering. "Just a couple of items from the drug store for Hollander." You raised an eyebrow at this. "Depending on how fast we find them, we can go around Midgar as much as we please."  
>"You make it sound like you don't know where the store is." You teased. Genesis rolled his eyes slightly, "I don't..." He said after a few seconds of silence. You looked over at him, "He should have at least given a map or something." Genesis shook his head at this. "We are fully capable of finding it on our own." Gazing out the glass window, you looked over the city. "But Midgars so big... and in the shopping district there aren't much stores like that. It's mostly clothes, weapons, materia, electronics, et cetera..." The door opened and both of you exited the elevator, entering the entrance room. "Even so, we can handle it."<br>A little chuckle came from you. "We sound like an ol- nevermind." Genesis looked at you with a raised brow. You laughed as the thought came back to you. "Just ignore me... but really, we could get lost though." Genesis scoffed, both of you making your way to the exit of the big room. When you got out, you two went to the shopping district, beginning your search for the pharmacy store. When you first arrived at your destination, you looked around the crowds nervously. When they noticed Genesis they either made way for him, asked for an autograph or pictures, and some even tried to flirt with him.  
>Genesis would ignore those girls though, and continue on his way. After about half an hour of searching, both of you finally found what you were looking for, and now both of you were just walking around Midgar. The two of you managed to find a calm place that only had a few people. The sky was beginning to darken since it was evening, and up ahead was a fountain that had benches around it. Street lights were also around the area, but they weren't on yet. "I never been to this part before... it looks nice." You said, admiring the fountain. "I've been here a few times, but never really had the chance to stay for long." Genesis told you.<br>"Do you want to stay here for a bit?" You looked over at him. "I'll leave that up to you." He replied smoothly. You smiled a little, "Only for a few minutes." And with that, you ran over to the fountain to get a better look. Genesis shook his head with a slight smile before following after you at a normal pace. When you noticed the unlit lights inside and around the fountain, you began to wonder what it would look like at night.  
>Genesis caught up and now stood beside you. After a moment, you turned your gaze to the sky, the tiny excitement feeling within gradually increasing all the while. <em>They should turn on soon.<em> Genesis briefly looked over his shoulder before walking towards a bench. He took a seat and pulled out LOVELESS. About a minute later, you sat beside him, both of you in a comfortable silence that lasted for a few minutes. "...I'm sure you have figured it out already." Silently, you glanced at him curiously, waiting for him to continue. "About my shoulder."  
>"It's getting worse, isn't it?" He hesitated before answering with a short nod. "So what happens if you never...?" You trailed off, not wanting to finish the question. He didn't reply, only continued to watch the fountain quietly. "Genesis?" Worry began to consume you. You started to regret asking the question, but couldn't really hold it in. Curiosity got the best of you. "Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh..." Genesis quoted softly.<br>Silently taking in his words, you tried to find a hidden meaning in them. After a while of thinking it over, you realized what his words meant. You fell into a short lived denial. _That can't be it... he likes to confuse me, so maybe that's why he quoted it. But most of the time there are hidden meanings with him... so it could be true..._ Sadness began to overtake you._ If he is going to die, how much longer does he have to live?_ You looked down at your lap, wishing these thoughts would just disappear. Genesis turned his gaze to you since you were being very quiet.  
>Knowing he was looking at you, you didn't look up at him, feeling the corners of your eyes begin to water slightly because of your thoughts. You didn't want him to see you cry, you couldn't help but feel embarrassed and ashamed whenever you did it in front of someone, which thankfully, wasn't very often. By now, the street lights began to light up, as well as the fountain. It began to change different colors, matching with the patterns the water moved in. Still, you had yet to lift up your head to watch. Genesis tilted his head to the side, questioningly.<br>He watched you in thought for a few seconds more, soon noticing something drop from your face. A look of shock went through his eyes, not expecting you to react this way. After a moment of thinking again, his eyes softened before reaching a somewhat hesitant hand over, placing it on your cheek soothingly. Once again, this action surprised you. He chuckled at this while turning you to face him. You made eye contact for a second before looking down, hoping he didn't notice anything. "You always think over things too much..." He wiped away the tear streak along your cheek with his thumb.  
>"Hollander said that he could cure me, so there is no need to worry." You held his gaze after hearing this. "Then why hasn't he yet? It's been about two months now." Since you finally looked at him, you could see the look in his eyes. They held somewhat of a dark, melancholy essence to them. "He said he needed some time before it can be done." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but was hesitating. "You cried for me..." He lowered his gaze, and furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm just a... why?" You blinked a few times, wondering what he was originally going to say.<br>After a moment you pushed it aside, and instead focused on giving him an answer. A light blush rose on your face, "Because... I would never want you to die. I care about you too much..." You wanted to tell him more, but stayed silent. Genesis looked into your eyes after hearing your words. He seemed a bit taken aback. You faintly smiled at him for a moment before uneasily turning your gaze away from his. Genesis watched you, letting your words sink in.  
>"...Mekina?" You eventually returned your eyes to his, giving him your full attention. Surprise filled your entire being when you realized just how close he was to you. A small smirk crossed his face when he saw this. The SOLDIER carefully leaned forward, leaving no space between you. He brought his lips to yours in a soft kiss while caressing your cheek with his thumb, making your eyes widen and your heart pound loudly against your chest. Willing yourself to slowly relax and close your eyes, you shyly began to return the kiss back to him. You both stayed like that for a while, enjoying the sweet, innocent moment.<br>Both of you soon pulled away about a minute or so later, and took a moment to exchange a kind expression with one another. Leaning closer to him, you then rested your head against his shoulder. He moved his hand to the back of your head, and kept it there for a few seconds. Not too long after, he moved his other arm up to wrap around you for a while before removing his other hand from your head. _Maybe I was wrong._ With his free hand, he took LOVELESS from his lap and placed it back in his jacket.  
>Hesitantly reaching a hand out, you held onto his hand gently. He returned the gesture, resting his cheek against the top of your head. <em>Maybe I do care for him in that way...<em> Both of you watched the fountain change colors, enjoying the time of peace. "The arrow has left the bow of the Goddess," Genesis murmured. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return..." You never thought that these words would be the last you heard from him. For a while at least.

He disappeared a few days later while on a mission in Wutai.

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><p><strong>I just wanted to give you guys another little moment before Crisis Core begins... Genesis is very hard to work with and I feel that this chapter didn't do him much justice. -Bows head in shame- And even though this was serious, I hope you still like it in some way, but nevertheless, thanks for reading :) More to come soon.<strong>


	27. Chapter 27

**I'm nervous about posting this since it has a lot of the game in it... My apologies if the chapter seems boring or rushed in some parts. I don't know, maybe I'm worrying too much... Enjoy?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina. **

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><p>"That should be enough for now..." Hojo moved back slightly to scribble something down on a clipboard. Holding in a relieved sigh, you got off the table and stretched your arms a bit, trying to regain the feeling in them once again. For this check up everything was almost normal like the majority of the other ones you've had. All except for one thing. He had just injected some kind of dark blue substance in your arm, which seemed to make it entirely numb in only a minute or two. You had asked what it was, but Hojo had completely disregarded your question, and instead, asked how you felt. You told him the side effect and he just turned to the parchment on his board and wrote it down.<br>For the past couple of weeks you had been coming in for check ups at least once, maybe even twice, a week- depending on if you were unlucky enough, that is. Ever since that first check up was taken, you couldn't help but notice Hojo acting somewhat differently. It unnerved you in a way, seeing as he would sometimes just plain out ignore you if you asked him something. When this would happen, he'd be very quiet. It made you uneasy. But if he did answer, it would just be an aggravated reply, so you would just leave it at that, opting to go into a silence.  
><em>It's been about four weeks now since this whole thing started. <em>You mused, swinging your arm in a circle. Not too long after, your blood began to flow once again. "So I can go now?" By now his back was to you as he examined a specimen in a tube. "Yes, yes, now off with you!" You smiled at his words and moved to walk out of the room, only to falter a moment later as he called to you, "Be sure to come back in three days." You groaned, "Alright... see ya later then." You gave a little wave as you left the room. After walking several steps away from the lab, you finally let out the relieved sigh you were holding in.  
>Even though you had a short amount of time until you were back there, you were happy it was over for the time being. You began the usual walk around Shinra, wondering what to do with your free time. As you pondered over these thoughts, you couldn't refrain yourself from thinking about what could be in store for your next check up. The dark blue liquid wasn't the first out of the ordinary thing the professor did to you, you had gone through several other things the past few weeks as well. The only information Hojo did give you was that most of the SOLDIER's were going through the same things as you at the moment.<br>_Maybe he's trying to find some way to make SOLDIER stronger? _You did hear from someone about Hojo and Hollander's rivalry with each other. How Hollander despised Hojo and held a grudge against him for becoming the leader of the science department. _And that book... Genesis... had the last time I saw him... Hollander could have been trying to figure out something so he could take Hojo's place instead. So maybe Hojo's just doing this to maintain his role? Who knows... _After another minute of thinking it over, you dismissed those thoughts, mind beginning to wander off to the missing red commander.  
><em>It's been a month now, and still nothing.<em> Around the time of his disappearance, you noticed a couple people that trained under Angeal disappear as well. Although, you had to admit, there was one tiny factor you liked about that. When training came around, it became all the more easier, considering that a couple of the 2nds who treated you like crap vanished without a trace. You couldn't help but frown at that thought. Yes, you were glad that those few were gone, but you were also concerned for the rest of the disappearances. You glanced at your PHS for the time. 1:24 pm. For a while now, training had been cut short by a couple of hours and missions weren't given out as often as they use to be.  
>It almost bothered you as much as it did Zack. He was even more restless now, and as energetic as ever. You smiled. <em>There's Zack for ya.<em> The only reason you knew this much is from walking around, hearing passerby's speaking of such things. As you continued your walk, you eventually stopped trying to think of something to do, and instead, found yourself listening to the conversations of the people you walked past. You were trying to find out if any new information came around.  
>You knew it would be difficult to obtain anymore than you already knew. It seemed that the president was trying to keep this matter on the downlow. And what you did know took quite some time to hear about. The entire thing was frustrating. You wanted to get out of Shinra and gather as much info as you could, but were unable to do so. It felt as if the president was keeping you all under a lockdown at HQ. <em>Well, except for the Turks... they always seemed to be doing the president's bidding without a second thought. Or so I've heard. <em>Just as all of the other newly acquired information you gathered, the dislike the SOLDIER's and Turks shared with each other was learned not too long ago.  
>However, the dislike between them, you couldn't understand. The Turks you've met up to this point seemed nice enough, and you liked them. And at this point, you felt some envy for them... surely they had some idea of what was going on. They always went on those secretive missions, so they were bound to know something! You gave a sigh as you neared the SOLDIER lounge, and when close enough, the door opened and closed a couple seconds after you stepped inside.<br>After taking a couple of more steps, you moved to sit at the top of the steps. When you first entered the room there was a little stairway that reached from wall to wall, no more than three steps. Once one gets down, there was a big table in the middle of the room. On the far left rested some of plants in front of windows that stretched to the end of the room. They revealed a structure from afar pulsing with mako energy, creating the usual greenish blue glow. The room was completely abandoned.  
>You sat there for several minutes before pulling out your PHS and tinkered around with that for a bit. After some time, you heard the door behind you open and close. "Hey Mekina." Looking over your shoulder, you smiled a bit, "Hey Zack." He walked to a spot near the window and began to do squats. You watched him for a moment, "Just get back from training?" He nodded a bit, "Yeah... and it couldn't have gone better." You moved to sit on the second step, and leaned back resting your arms against the first one. "You seem a bit irritated. You okay?" You slipped your PHS back in your pocket as Zack continued his squats.<br>"It's just that we barely get assignments anymore. And with so many people away, you'd think you'd be getting even more than usual..." Zack told you as you sent him an understanding look. "I know what you mean, Zack. It just doesn't make sense..." You lifted your gaze a bit, now staring at the glow of the mako, becoming somewhat awed by it. "Hopefully things will change soon. It's been like this for too long." Zack said glancing at you. "One can only hope." You glanced back at him, both of you making eye contact.  
>Both of you drifted into a comfortable silence, him continuing his training, while you just sat there watching the mako pulse. A while later, the door opened once again. You looked behind you, and smiled at the new arrival, and waved to Kunsel. He smiled and returned the gesture before looking over at Zack as he walked in. "Hey Zack, you seem a little on edge." He went to the steps a couple feet away from you and took a seat. You had met Kunsel a couple weeks back and became friends with him in no time. He was a very nice and caring friend to have. It didn't take long for you to find out that he cared more about his friends than his job.<br>"Can you blame me? All this training and no assignments." He told him in between squats, "Like they're hanging me out to dry." He was beginning to pant slightly. Kunsel readjusted his position as he listened to him, "You must be busy with everyone off base." Kunsel turned to look at him, "Uh, off base? Wait haven't you heard?" He rose to his feet as he spoke, "There's been a mass desertion at SOLDIER." Zack came to a stop at his words, "Huh?" You sat up and looked to Kunsel in silent question. Zack turned to face the both of you, looking just as confused as you were.  
>"It appears one of the 1st's deserted. He took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him, too." You rose to your feet as well, "Nobody knows why he left, or what he's up to. This mass desertion's the reason why your training's on hold." Zack crossed his arms at this. "I see." You murmured to yourself, thinking over the new information you had desired for quite a while now. <em>There's no doubt about who that is. But why would he take so much SOLDIER away?<em> Kunsel looked at you both for a moment, before looking behind you to the doorway. "Heads up, a 1st!"  
>Zack and you faced the doorway. Angeal walked towards the three of you and stopped before he reached the steps, "Zack, new assignment." Zack smiled, mood lifting, "Woo! Finally! Some real action!" Zack ran up the steps and came to a stop in front of Angeal. "This will be your show." Angeal told him, "Yes!" Zack rose his fist up. "Ah, lucky!" Kunsel chuckled and rested a hand on your shoulder. "It's only a matter of time for you to get one too." Angeal and Zack looked over at you two for a moment. "It has been a while for you, hasn't it?" Angeal stared at you thoughtfully.<br>"I'll let you help Zack with this." He turned his back to you all, "Both of you report to Director Lazard. We'll give you the details." And with that, he walked out of the room. "Oh yeah!" The three of you high fived each other. "It's about time this happened!" You grinned. The three of you walked out of the room and towards the Director's office. It took a couple minutes to walk there and when you finally arrived, Kunsel chose to wait outside while you both went in.  
>When you entered, both Angeal and Lazard were already seated at the desk facing the computers. Lazard looked over and gave a friendly smile. Zack and you said your greetings as the director swiveled around to face you. "Angeal has already told me about you joining to assist with this mission. The help is greatly appreciated." You smiled and gave him a nod, "Now, on to business." He turned back to the computer and pressed a few buttons. Zack and you moved to see what he was doing, but stopped when a large screen appeared above the computers. <em>Well that's cool.<br>_Your eyes widened a bit as you saw what was on the screen. Zack seemed to be surprised as well. "SOLDIER 1st class Genesis." Lazard said, "A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai. Know anything about this?" Angeal had his head lowered, while Zack uncrossed his arms, "Not a clue!" You shook your head, "Me neither." Lazard looked away from you both for a moment before continuing on.  
>"The mission is currently stuck in limbo. That's why we've decided to send you." Zack turned his gaze from the screen and to the Director, "Uh, to Wutai?" You looked to Lazard as well. "Yes. This war has gone on long enough." He had clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on his desk. Angeal finally spoke up, "Zack. I've recommended you for first." Zack gasped in surprise and quickly faced him. "Angeal! Oh, I love you man!" Zack went over to Angeal for a hug. You began to laugh while the Director chuckled to himself.<br>"Ang-" Angeal had pushed him away from him, "Don't make me regret this, Zack." He told him, sternly. "Sir!" Zack stood up straight. Angeal quickly stood up, "Once you're packed, you'll leave at once." He looked over his shoulder at the two of you. "Yes sir!" You both said in unison. Kunsel walked in the room a couple seconds later. "The operation will begin immediately upon arrival at Wutai. If you have any questions about the assignment, you should talk to the other SOLDIER operatives."  
>Kunsel walked over to you guys as Angeal turned to speak with Lazard, "I'll tell you guys everything you need to know." After talking over the mission with him for a bit, you smiled at him, "Thanks for all the help Kunsel. I owe ya one." Zack nodded his head in agreement, and grinned, "Yeah, thanks Kunsel." He smiled, "No problem." He looked behind you two, watching Lazard and Angeal talk for a moment, "By the way, the materia you were using in training has been confiscated." He spoke to Zack, "Powerful materia has to be earned on your own. Those are the SOLDIER rules."<br>Zack nodded to him. "Ah, I almost forgot." Kunsel walked out of the room, motioning for you two to follow. He went into another room that had some kind of pods against the wall. "I never explained these supply pods to you guys, did I?" He turned, facing you. "In these supply pods are items you can use in battle. The company sends them to us periodically."  
>"I see. They're like provisions for SOLDIER members." Zack said, "It'd be a shame to squander the company's good will. Check it out before you go on the assignment." Kunsel glanced at the supply pods, "I wonder what they got us this time?" Zack and you walked beside him, both of you opening a random pod. You peered inside curiously before sticking a hand in and feeling a smooth, curved object. You pulled your hand back out, realizing it was an elixir.<br>You looked over to see Zack holding a bronze bangle. Zack put on his item while you pocketed yours, "Well, I guess that's everything. Looks like it's time for you two to head out. You're going with Angeal, right? Good luck on the assignment!" You and Zack smiled at him, "Yeah! Thanks for all the information!" Kunsel nodded his head, "Yeah, thanks again! We'll see you soon!" After you guys finally said your goodbyes, Zack and you went back into the Director's office where Angeal and Lazard were waiting.  
>"We leave for Wutai soon. Are you ready?" Angeal asked as you approached them. "We're all set Angeal!" Zack told him. Lazard looked over to you two, "I'll be joining you as well. I'm counting on you." Both of you seemed taken aback by this, but stood to attention. "Sir!" Lazard leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "By the way, what are your dreams? 'To become 1st'... is it?" Zack turned away from him a bit, "No..." He placed his hands on his hips in a pose, "To become a hero!" Lazard watched him for a moment.<br>"I see... and yours?" He turned to you. "My dream, huh?" You placed a hand under your chin, thinking it over, "I guess it's what you've already said with becoming 1st class." _The whole point of me joining SOLDIER was because I wanted to prove my strength and worth... to prove others wrong about me being 'weak'. To gain some respect... To prove myself. And to do that, I thought becoming a 1st would be proof enough.  
><em>"Ah, good! Unattainable dreams are the best kind." Lazard said, hands clasped together. Zack and you quickly turned to him, surprised at his response. "Uh, thanks?" Zack raised an eyebrow as you frowned. "Now, it's time for you to begin the assignment." Lazard rose from his chair as you both stood at attention once again, "Sir!" A few minutes later you were in a helicopter, heading to Wutai.

**At Wutai**

By the time you finally arrived it was late at night. At the moment Angeal, Zack, and you were running on a rocky road through a forest with only the light of the moon as your guide through the dark. There was a light fog drifting about making it not as bright as it could have been, but it was still bright enough none the less.  
>"Fort Tamblin is straight ahead." Angeal said, skidding to a stop. Zack and you followed in suit. Angeal turned to you both, "Let's hurry, B Unit is standing by." Just as he finished saying that, a Wutai soldier spotted you. "You three! Identify yourselves!" Two additional soldiers ran up beside the man. The three of them had very long axes for weapons. Angeal and you got in a stance, ready to take on the assault. Zack walked up beside you, hand on the hilt of his sword.<br>"Just leave it to me!" He pulled it off his back and swung it around a bit before quickly bringing it in front of him. While this happened the Wutai troops had him surrounded. You wearily placed a hand on the hilt of your sword, just in case the worst happened. But the possibility of that happening was pushed aside in a matter of seconds. Zack had just taken care of each one with a single strike of his sword.  
>You looked at each body in surprise, "Wow, you've gotten even faster Zack!" Zack grinned, "Alright, next!" You chuckled at his eagerness, "Calm down, Zack." Angeal said as he passed by him. "No can do." Zack shrugged and placed his hands on his hips, "The Director is watching from somewhere, right? I have to make a good impression." He added, looking around the surrounding area for any signs of the Director.<br>"He's got a point, Angeal." While trying not to laugh, you imagined Lazard hiding in a bush with that fancy outfit of his. "He could be anywhere..." You quietly laughed to yourself, looking around as well. "Mekina, Zack..." You both ceased your search and looked to Angeal curiously. "Do you know about dumbapples?" Zack crossed his arms, "No, what is that?"  
>"I never heard of those before." You replied as Angeal placed a hand to his hip and chin. "Unbelievable... How can you not know about dumbapples?" He questioned to himself, before continuing on down the road, "Neither of you will make 1st at that rate." Zack and you exchanged looks with each other, before running to catch up with him. "Whoa, wait!" Zack called out, before coming to a stop a little behind him.<br>"What do you mean by that, Angeal?" You asked as he continued to walk away. "What are dumbapples!" Zack exclaimed to the retreating man. You lost sight of him when he went down a hill, and without hesitating, you began to follow him once again with Zack in tow. When you got to the top, he was still out of sight. You looked at the road, noticing how it curved to the left a little ways away. "That's a pretty fast walking pace he has." You said as Zack stopped besides you.  
>"He's always been a fast one." Zack said, both of you now going into a run again. A few seconds after you made it down the hill you both were ambushed by three Wutai troops. Neither of you stopped running though. You both moved to pull out your swords, now charging the troops head on. When close enough you swiftly swung your sword upwards and parlayed with one of them. He turned the blade of the axe so it faced you, and tried to bring it into your side. Before this could happen, you rose both your hands as high as you could to push the weapon away from you. You then brought your sword besides you in a jabbing position, then took a step forward.<br>You averted your eyes away from your sword as blood became within view. Now pulling back, you watched as his body fell limp to the ground. You frowned. Looking away from the body to Zack, you watched him take care of the last Wutai troop. "Let's go, Mekina!" Both of you took off running once again. Not even a minute later, you were both ambushed yet again. This time, they made the first strike. One almost got Zack by the shoulder but he dodged it with ease, while another nearly had you decapitated. You had dropped to a crouching position, and sweep kicked the man's legs. You succeeded in making him fall, but at the price of nearly getting hit by his axe as he made his way down.  
>You had to roll backwards to avoid the blade. <em>Almost got my arm... That was too close for comfort. <em>A relieved sigh left from your lips as you got to your feet. You waited for him to stand up as well before charging him. He moved his axe back a bit, getting ready to strike you, but you beat him to it since you had the lighter weapon in this fight. He crumpled to his knees as the sword made contact with his shoulder. You took a couple steps back as his body fell forward completely. Now kneeling, you placed two fingers besides his neck. "Still a pulse..." You nod in silent approval as you stand back up. Zack had just finished the last one off like last time.  
><em>I really need to get faster at this. Next time I'll try to wait for an opening instead of just rushing in. <em>Zack and you nodded to each other, before continuing along the road again. As you made another turn, you finally saw Angeal walking ahead of you. As you walked down this part of the road, you noticed little wisps of light floating around the sides of the path. A slight calm feeling overtook you as you watched it fade in and out. "So Angeal, what's the deal with 'dumbapples'?" Zack asked as you both finally caught up with him. Angeal stopped walking and turned around to the two of you. "The official name is Banora White. The trees bear fruit at random times during the year. Because of that, the townspeople affectionately call them dumbapples."  
>Your gaze drifted from the floating light to Angeal as he spoke, "The local farms had plenty of them to spare." Zack raised an eyebrow at this, "Oh really? So you stole them." You were looking between them now, "We were poor, Zack." Angeal defended. "Nice excuse!" Zack told him as you coughed in your hand. "You gotta do what you can to survive, Zack." Zack looked to you, soon remembering your little conversation a couple months back. "Oh yeah! You did too, huh?" You nudged him with your elbow, smiling slightly. "Let's let Angeal finish the story." You both returned your attention to the Commander. He chuckled a bit before continuing.<br>"But even then, I had my honor. The largest Banora White tree grew on a wealthy man's estate. It was rumored that those apples tasted the best. But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend." He tone became softer as he said the last part. "If he was a friend, you should have just asked for some!" Zack was now walking around you both with his hands behind his head. Angeal held up a finger a moment before bringing his hand back to his side, "Honor can be quite a burden at times." Zack stopped walking around and looked to the side with his hands on his hips.  
>"...And what exactly does this have to do with us?" Angeal crossed his arms and leaned a bit closer to you both. "No story is not worth hearing." After that, he turned back around, walking once again. You both thought over what he said, and soon heard Angeal laugh as he went up the path. "What? That's it?" Zack called to him, before going into a run, "Yeah, well, thanks a lot!" After catching up with him, you all walked in a silence for a couple of minutes, just listening to your surroundings. You heard your PHS beep, signalling that you had new mail. Taking it out, you took a look at what was just sent to you.<p>

_Subject: SOLDIER Responsibilities  
>From: Lazard<em>

_SOLDIER members, thank you for your daily hard work. As you all well know, A great number of our comrades have left the company. T_h_is is now some concern within the company whether this will lead to a decline in SOLDIER's combat abilities. However, we can also take this pressure as a chance to prove how indispensable we are to our company by proving our strength as a small but elite group. __I hope you take advantage of this mission, where we will bring an end to the war with Wutai, to do your best and prove yourselves._

The last sentence of the mail surprised you somewhat. It was almost as if he had read your mind when he asked you what your dream was. This was the chance you had always wanted... but if it wasn't for the desertion, this would not be happening. You slumped your shoulders a bit,_ I guess that saying of when a door closes then another one opens really is true... I shouldn't put too much thought in it now! I need to focus.  
><em>  
><strong>Several Minutes Later<strong>

The three of you were now near the fort, hiding behind some shrubs. "B Unit will set off an explosion. That's our cue." Angeal informed you both. "The diversion will allow us to infiltrate." Zack finished, "Right." Angeal gave him a nod, "I'll set the bomb inside the fortress. You both will charge the front gate, and..."  
>"Uh-huh, and? And? And? And?" Zack was getting real excited now, making you laugh. Angeal looked away for a moment before looking back, "Indulge yourselves." Zack smacked his hands together, "You got it! That's what I do best!" He faced the fortress for a second before standing up, "Ah, come on B Unit..."<br>Angeal pulled his sword off his back and held it in front of him. He had his eyes closed for a short time, before putting the sword back. Zack watched and kneeled down again, "You know, I've never actually seen you use that." Angeal glanced at him, "Don't you think it's sort of a waste?" Angeal moved to face him a little more, "Use brings about wear... tear... and rust. And that's a real waste." He looked back to the fortress. "I've seen him use it once before... just once." Zack looked to you, "What would the occasion be?" The memory of when Angeal blocked Sephiroth and Genesis' attack went through your head.  
>"It was to block an attack from both directions." Zack raised his eye brows at this, "Oh really? So he actually took it off of his back and used it?" You quietly thought it over, "Not exactly. It was still on his back when it was used." You chuckled. Zack and you looked to Angeal for a moment, "You're serious, aren't you?" Angeal looked back at him, "Yeah. I can be... pretty cheap." You chuckled at that. "Yeah, no kidding." Just as Zack said that the explosion went off.<br>Angeal turned back to you two, "Begin mission." He motioned his head in the direction of the fortress. You stood up along with Zack for a second, both of you soon taking off. Angeal watched you go out of sight until he left as well.  
>As you approached the entrance to the place you both soon stopped in front of it. There was a group of about seven Wutai soldiers on the ground while four stood upon the wall, two along each side of the gate. The leader of this group spoke up. He was the only one with different colored armor, which was yellow, while the others had green. "No one passes beyond this point! The enemy is but two people! Obliterate them!" He ordered his men. The ones on the floor charged towards you, all with axes, and the ones on the wall had crossbows. Zack and you took out your weapons and, without hesitation, began to move around the courtyard, dodging arrows and axes.<br>Zack didn't seem to have much problems with taking them out, but you on the other hand, had some difficulties. You did happen to get lucky with the first one you went up against, and did just as Zack was able to do. Take the man down in one hit. But after that, the difficulties ensued. The training you did in the virtual room did help prepare you to fight against groups of people better, but the ones there didn't have long ranged weapons. You had no idea how to program them to do that. So you were at a somewhat huge disadvantage, seeing as there were four crossbowmen present.  
>Now swinging your sword above your head you blocked several oncoming arrows from piercing you. Once that was taken care of, you brought your sword back down in front of you, attempting to slash one of their stomachs. One at your side tried to jab you in said place, but you moved away from him. As you came to a stop and got ready to go on the offense again, one of them brought their axe down on you. Quickly, you held your sword above your head, now leaving you completely open to the other Wutai soldiers.<br>A soldier behind you gladly took this chance, and began to charge you. Through gritted teeth you pushed as hard as you could against the weapon above you, and surprisingly managed to push him back a foot or two. Wanting to waste no more time, you turned around and swiftly kicked the charging man's weapon away from you. You spun around and stuck your sword out, slashing him as you came back around. This time you didn't make the mistake of you successfully taking him down get to your head, you turned right back around and continued the assault. You didn't expect to get hit in that instant though. As you turned, a trooper had jabbed his weapon at you and you hardly had enough time to move aside. This got part of your shoulder.  
>Now what you really didn't expect was to get hit again. You let in a sharp breath as the pain increased. For the next hit one of the crossbowmen finally got you in the side. An arrow to the side didn't slow you down too much though. The mako pulsing through your veins wouldn't allow you to succumb so easily. You stumbled a bit, before regaining your posture and rushing towards the enemy. Swinging your sword in front of you, you clashed with another soldier for a bit, until you felt more pain in your side. This time you couldn't hold back a cry of pain. One of them had just pulled out the arrow, letting your blood run freely.<br>Zack looked over, and within a second, was rushing over to you. He rose his sword above him before bringing it down, taking out the one that pulled the arrow out. Soon after, you saw a familiar greenish glow around you, along with a cool feeling flow through your body and out your injuries. They hadn't healed completely, but they were easier to endure now. You could still feel some blood run out of your wounds.  
>He got back to back with you, "You okay, Mekina!" He asked over the clashing of the blades. "Of course, it just surprised me is all." You reassured him, before smiling. You had spoke the truth. If you had seem it coming, then you would have had enough time to prepare for the inevitable. "Thanks for the help." Zack grinned, "What are friends for?" After that short conversation, you both moved away from each other at the same time, dodging the arrows once again.<br>Another one dropped to the floor from Zack's fatal attack. Slashing one across the neck, the soldier you just defeated fell as well to join his fallen comrades. When the last of the ones on the ground were taken care of, both of you turned to the crossbowmen. You both began to use materia on them, Zack casting constant fire while you used ice.  
>When they were finished off you both placed your swords back on your backs. "Alright! Piece of cake!" Zack said before the two of you continued your infiltration and went inside. Once inside you and Zack found yourselves on a high part of the fort and crouched down when the enemy was sighted below patrolling the area. There were three of them. Zack smirked as he jumped down to reach them, you following close behind him. This, of course, instantly gained their attention. "Enemy attack! It's SOLDIER! Don't let them get through!" One of them called out as you brought out your sword. The one that said that swung at Zack, but he was able to dodge the attack by going into a jump roll and landing back to his feet quickly. Once Zack did so, he turned around and hit him with fire, putting a quick end to the man.<br>You side stepped, missing an attack aimed for your stomach, and made your sword go towards his chest in retaliation. After successfully making contact, you turned to the last one, both Zack and you hitting him at the same time, defeating him. When that battle was over, Zack's PHS rang several times and he took it out. As this happened, you turned around and examined your surroundings as carefully as possible while listening to Zack speak. "Piece of cake! We could have done it blindfolded!" A couple more seconds of silence passed. "If I take it out, do you think I'll make 1st?" You looked over your shoulder at him with a raised eyebrow. _Take what out?_ "Oh, that'll be easy! Just leave it to us!" Zack hung up and placed the device in his pocket again.  
>"So what will be easy? And what do we have to take out?" You turned back around, "Running amok. And that's a surprise." Zack grinned as you laughed. "All we gotta do now is just defeat as many of them as possible before going to the central part of the fort." Zack told you, "Well that does sound fun and easy... " Zack nodded his head, "The more troops we take care of, then the more impressed the Director will be." You nodded your head and smiled, "Then shall we be on our way?" He grinned, "Of course!" The two of you looked around.<br>The only source of light was from the torches scattered around the fortress. You two decided to start off on the left where a lit up room was. From the outside, you could tell there wasn't much to the room, but on the farther side you did see a silver chest which peaked your interest. As you both drew closer to it, you were ambushed once again...


	28. Chapter 28

**Once again, sorry if some parts dull you. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina. **

* * *

><p>After a while of fighting opponents you both were once again walking through the fortress in a moment of peace. As you continued onwards, you had found out that there were some secret paths you could take, each one being against a wall. You both had a little fun with trying to figure out where some of them were located, randomly running into walls and what not. It had been some time since the infiltration began, and about two thirds of the fortress was cleared out.<br>Now, you two had heard a voice on the other side of the wall, and were trying to figure out if there were any walls near that could take you to them. "In the name of Wutai, we must halt the enemy advance here." Two additional voices were heard. "Sir!" Zack and you exchanged mischievous looks before going towards the walls. You both began to ram into them. "Fort Tamblin will not fall to a paltry force like SOLDIER. The enemy could be anywhere."  
>"Okay, maybe this on- Ahh!" The wall had instantly turned around with you as you tossed yourself against it. Zack couldn't help but snicker at this as he went along with you. Both of you instantly quieted down when you saw what was on the other side. There were three more Wutai soldiers, two wearing green armor while the other wore yellow. The two green armored ones were facing the opposite direction of the leader to their little group. It seemed like he was giving a speech.<br>"Keep your eyes open." By the time the wall turned completely, he had already walked past it and had no idea that the enemy was already present. Zack and you ran out, instantly getting the attention of the other two as the leader's back was still turned. "SOLDIER is a formidable foe. But to protect our homeland, we must stand against our enemies, no matter how powerful they may be." As he spoke the fight began. "Even if it means our lives."  
>Zack had struck one in the back with his sword, while you dodged an attack and tried to get one in the shoulder. The leader finally turned around, "Retreat is not in the Wutai dictionary! Huh!" He stared at you both as you had just taken out his men. Your backs were to him as you pulled a victory pose and put your weapons back to rest. As you both turned around to face him, he quickly left without a second thought, "Retreat! Retreating is part of military strategy!"<br>When he was gone you noticed him drop something. Bending down Zack grabbed it, "Sweet, a potion!" He said examining it. You looked around the corner, watching the Wutai soldier run away. "Do you think we should head to the central part now? I'm curious about what this 'surprise' is." You looked to Zack, "Ah, the surprise! I almost forgot about that!" Zack pocketed the item before turning back around, "But before that... let's go around one more time, just in case we missed anyone."  
>"Alright, I could use more of the experience." You agreed before going back through the wall and ran around perimeter. It only took about two minutes to find what you were looking for. Another ambush. This time three strange looking monsters. You had run into them a couple of times already, and they were no more of a threat than the Wutai troops around the fort were. Seeing as they were bigger, they had been taken out with relative ease. When that battle was over, you glanced around the area, "So about that surprise... can I have a hint?" You asked. "All I'm gonna say is it's probably really big." Zack chuckled as you continued on your way. "Can I have another hint?" Zack shook his head, "Nope, you gotta wait for it."<br>Just as you were about to say something, his PHS rang again. You moved closer to him so you could hear what was being said. "Well done. We have successfully occupied Fort Tamblin." It was Lazard, "I was really only expecting you two to get their attention. Most impressive, I must say." You both smiled at his words, "I'm very pleased with the results thus far. Proceed to the next objective." Once that was said, Zack put back his PHS. Zack and you turned to each other and pounded your fists together. "Success!" You smiled as Zack cheered. "Now to the surprise!" Both of you took off running. You knew the surprise couldn't exactly be a good thing, but you couldn't fight off the feeling of wanting to know. As long as Zack was with you, things would turn out alright though... right?  
>After going around for a couple more minutes, another gate in the Fort was within sight. When inside you both came to a stop, the door closing behind you. "Ah! That must be the central area!" Zack said as you both looked at a large pagoda. At this point, aside from the two injuries you received, you both had some scrapes and cuts. When you both made your way down to the open area, you noticed there was a fountain statue of some kind of creature near the wall.<br>You walked over to it, examining it. "I've never seen something like this before." Zack came up behind you, "What's this?" Both of you straightened up when a new voice was heard. "That is Wutai's guardian deity, Leviathan." You turned around to see three soldiers surrounding you two. "We are the Crescent, the Wutai army's elite unit." Lifting your gaze over them, you watched the man that spoke, "We appease the wrath of Leviathan, and smite the enemies of Wutai. Our beloved homeland has been brutally ravaged by Shinra."  
>Zack spoke next, "I heard that if we could process the mako here, it would help people live better lives. But then you attacked us without even hearing us out!" The man took a step forward, "What do you know of the pain we have suffered? Shinra has continually brought fear and oppression to the innocent people of Wutai!" Zack fell silent and you lowered your gaze. At this point, the soldiers had lowered their weapons and listened to their comrade speak. The man examined you both for a moment, "I would like to ask you one last thing." You remained silent, wanting to hear what he had to say, "Are you satisfied in using your immense power to serve an evil organization like Shinra? Does it bring you joy to torture innocent people?" Zack looked to the ground now.<br>"That's not what I..." Zack trailed off. You shook your head. Even though you were operatives of Shinra, lots of the details were kept hidden from you. The president did always like to be on the downlow, after all. "If there is any remorse in your heart, then atone for your actions by joining our cause!" Neither of you said anything, "Of course we can't pay you much, but you can use your power in the name of justice!" Zack finally spoke up, "Justice...? Is that really the case? Is it so terrible to provide mako to people and make their lives better? I don't know... But I chose to serve Shinra. Whatever happens, I have to stand by that decision." When that was said, he took out his sword. You did the same as well. "I was foolish to think I could reason with villains."  
>"For those of us born and raised in Wutai, losing our land is the same as losing our lives. Hence, I must eliminate you, as my last duty to the land. You will now witness the wrath of Wutai!" And so, the battle began. After several minutes, Zack and you triumphed leaving the man laying on the ground, the only one out of them that survived. Zack had taken care of him and another soldier, while you took the other two. "Why do you not finish me off?" He questioned as Zack walked over to you. You looked over to his sprawled out figure, fatigue slowly getting the best of you. They had put up a good fight. "I don't know. Not in the mood, I guess." Zack faced him slightly. "As long as we breathe, we will continue to target Shinra. I promise... one day, I will have your heads."<br>"Fine, we'll be waiting." And with that, you both moved on. A short lived silence to place, until you spoke, "Zack..." He glanced at you, "Now that I see how these people really are, I feel like they're not the type to just attack when someone offers them help. I... I don't know what to think. Shinra always keeps things hidden." Zack rested a hand on your shoulder, "Don't think over it too much, I'm sure the higher ups will find a way to resolve things! It's true that we don't get told much about what goes on, but things usually come around in the end."  
>"And don't forget about the main objective to this mission... to put an end to this war." You looked up at him, "I always wondered how you can be so optimistic." <em>A trait I wish to have at times... <em>Zack gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go, "Come on, the surprise is inside!" A smile spread across your lips, "Right behind ya." You both ran towards the stairway up ahead, but stopped a moment later when a voice was heard.  
>"One, avoid unnecessary training!" <em>A girl? <em>You scanned the area, trying to find the person the mysterious voice belonged to. "Two, protect Wutai at all costs!" Zack placed his hands on his hips as he looked around, "Three, ugly Shinra SOLDIER dudes... must be punished!" When you looked back in front of you, a kid stood at the top of the steps, looking down at the two of you. Zack lowered his hands, "Who are you?" The girl placed her hands on her hips, "I'm Wutai's greatest warrior! If you wanna go further, you have to go through me!" She looked to be a couple of years younger than you were. "A kid...? You shouldn't be playing out here, it's dangerous! Go home to your parents." In an instant, she moved behind you. _She's very fast for just a kid. _You were impressed by her speed.  
>"You're the ones who's going home! If you insist on going any further, you'll have a fight on your hands!" When that was said, she ran towards you both. "Oh, man... What are we suppose to do here?" You watched her carefully, "Well, this is new..." She finally made it over and started throwing fake punches at you two, "Whap! Pow! Bam! Take that bad guys!" Zack and you exchanged looks with a raised eyebrow, before pretending to be defeated.<br>"Ah! That hurts!" You cried out as you dropped to the floor along with Zack, "Arrrgh! Nooo! You got me!" She ceased her attack, "There! That'll teach you to mess with me! Once again, I've brought peace to Wutai!" She nodded to herself, before turning in the other direction and running off. "Boy oh boy... You gotta admire that energy..." You chuckled a bit as you rose to your feet, "Well, back to work, I guess..." You went up the stairs with Zack behind you, finally making it to the doors. Once inside, you looked around the room, taking it in. Scattered around the room were four pillars that had fire on the top. In the middle of the room rested some kind of kanji which you were unable to understand. The room was in a circular shape.  
>Zack and you walked to the middle of the room as you looked around. When you reached the middle you stopped for a moment, and stretched your arms a bit. A couple of seconds later, dirt fell from the ceiling, surprising you both. You stepped back and looked up just in time to see part of the roof open up and a monster drop down. Both of you jumped away just as it landed. As you reached for your sword, another one dropped down as well, making you gasp. They were very large creatures that held huge axes for weapons. They were of dark skin and each wore armor upon their upper bodies. One wore green, while the other had dark blue. They're roars seemed to echo in the room, making you flinch a bit. "Well, this really <em>is<em> a surprise." You muttered under your breath.  
>"You must be the anti-SOLDIER monsters that I've been hearing about." Zack said, rushing towards them. <em>Can't make any mistakes now, or it will be fatal. Just focus... <em>Carefully watching their movements through narrowed eyes, you waited a moment before going in the offense. Before either of you could reach them, they both did the same exact movements. A pinkish glow appeared around their weapons as they struck you both in unison.  
>You both cried out as you were sent flying backwards into either a wall or pillar. Pushing yourself away from the pillar, you moved to stand up and watched them again, waiting for an opening. You noticed how slow their movements were before the quick blow of that final swing in that duo attack. Now, they moved with that same slowness which made you somewhat weary. <em>I'll try to get them from behind. <em>With that final thought, you moved as quick as you could behind one, slashing your sword across its back. It let out a roar as it turned around, trying to hit you with it's mace. You jump rolled between its legs and moved to face it yet again, adding another wound to its back. It threw its head back and roared even louder. "The big ones are always the slowest." You muttered, swinging your sword against its flesh once more, then embedding it through its spine.  
>Looks like all that training in the virtual room finally came through! You pulled back your blood covered sword, and crouched down as it fell forward, panting lightly. Your arms were a little sore after that one since it had pretty thick skin. There was some difficulty in getting the sword through. A large thud behind you resided, signalling Zack's victory. You grinned and turned to face him as he answered his PHS. "SOLDIER 2nd class Zack, victorious once again!" Another few seconds of silence, "Understood!" He pocketed his PHS again, "We got five minutes to get outta here! Director Lazard, are you watching?" Both of you looked around, "Gotta move!" The two of you now ran across the room heading out.<br>He soon gasped, making you look at him curiously, but what you caught at the corner of your eye made you soon understand. A shadow loomed over you, and it was getting larger by the second. Both of you dived out of the way as another monster came from above, this time wearing brown and white armor. This one used a large chained mace ball as a weapon. "No time to play!" Zack yelled at it. "There's another surprise? I was good with only two." You said, dodging its weapon as it spun around. It continued to spin it around, making Zack and you back up. After a while it finally stopped, only for the weapon to hit a wall making it collapse. Zack moved high into the air with a battle cry as he slashed its head, making it go down in one blow.  
>Once Zack landed, he walked in front of it, swinging his sword to the side as he checked it out. "Nice job, Zack!" You smiled, approaching him. Just as those words left you, the monster lifted itself up, hitting Zack with it's weapon. Your eyes widened in shock as you watched Zack hit a pillar. When he made contact with it, he reached a hand to his head, eyes closed in pain as he fell to the floor. You gripped the sword in your hands tightly as you turned back to the monster, stepping in front of it as it began to approach Zack. A moment later, you charged the creature head on, sword at your side. Thinking logically was thrown away at the moment when you saw the one who was like a brother to you in pain.<br>Rising your blood stained blade, you slightly crouched down before pushing forward into the air. When close enough you brought it down upon it's shoulder, making it stumble back a bit. While roaring, it began to swing it's mace around, soon hitting you away from it. You grit your teeth as you bashed into the wall, eyes closing tightly from the impact. You opened your eyes to see the creature still heading for Zack. "Not good..." Zack muttered, as he crawled back a bit, sword outstretched in front of him. It growled as it stopped in front of him, now reaching a hand back, ready to end Zack's life. Just as it was about to make the blow, someone had attacked it, making you both puzzled. Zack lowered his sword to the side as the monster made its way to the ground with a loud thud. That was when you both saw who was behind the monster.  
>There stood Angeal with his buster sword out, "That's one more you owe me." Zack covered a hand over his face as Angeal came over, "You lost your focus. Both of you." Zack looked away from him, "Uh, yeah?" You gave a weak smile to Angeal as he looked to you. "Oh, sorry if your sword got any wear, tear, or rust on it." Zack added, now noticing the weapon. Angeal put it back in its place, "You're a little more important than my side." He looked between the two of you, "...But just a little." As he said the last part, he held his fingers close together to emphasize what he meant. He took a couple steps to Zack, extending out a hand. They both smiled at each other for a moment, before he took his hand, "Thanks!"<p>

**A Few Minutes Later**

The three of you now were outside walking away from the fort. You came to a stop and looked back when you heard footsteps approaching, and saw none other than the Director himself jogging over. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm not used to being on site." He said, coming to a stop infront of you all. "You didn't have to come." Angeal told him, "This operation will bring an end to the war. I have to see it through personally." He turned to Zack, "Soldier 2nd class Zack." "Sir!" Zack quickly stood at attention, "You performed your duties admirably at Fort Tamblin. I saw it with my own eyes." The Director brought a hand to his face, "Frankly, my evaluation of you is..." Lazard paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "You are a frightening individual. Not many can annihilate an entire enemy force by themselves. Not many could even do so with a companion." He glanced at you as he said the last part. Zack and you smiled, pounding your fists together.  
>"I was taken aback myself. You really have grown into fine warriors." Angeal saying that made Zack and you somewhat modest. Zack placed a hand behind his head and looked away, while you held your arm and looked down. "Your bravery during the Wutai war will be remembered for generations to come." Lazard added, just making the feeling increase a bit. "It seems your dream of becoming a hero has already come true." Zack stepped back in surprise as he heard that, "Let's not get carried away, Director. Zack still has a lot to accomplish." Lazard chuckled, "I suppose you're right. Zack, I hope you'll continue to excel. The same goes for you, as well, Mekina." You stood up straight, "Thank you, Director." Zack placed his hands on his hips proudly.<br>"Now, let's hurry." Angeal said, "Sephiroth is waiting." Zack and you jumped a bit and turned to him. "Sephiroth!" You both said in unison. Angeal and Lazard began to walk in the opposite direction as you and Zack stayed behind. "It's been a while since we last seen him! Now this is a nice surprise." When you finished saying that, you heard swift movement cut through the air. Both of you turned around wondering what the cause of it was. The moment you looked back, three men came out doing flips all around you, each one dual wielding swords. They soon came to a stop, surrounding you both. Zack and you got back to back for a moment, swords in hand, before dashing off around the perimeter. _Who are these guys! _These opponents had to have been the most energetic you've faced. _Even when they just stand there not attacking, they still jump in pla-_ Your thoughts ceased when the one you were fighting raised his swords in the air, twirling them about as he summoned a blizzard above you.  
>Moving to the side and then running towards him, you slashed your sword across his chest. He moved back a bit as you moved your sword to strike him again. He swung at your head and you quickly dropped, now positioning your sword slanted upwards, as you stood back up, stabbing him all the way through. Quickly pulling away, you turned, watching Zack face the final one. "Mekina! Zack! Come on!" Angeal called out a little ways away. You both quickly ran over to where he and the Director were. When you finally caught up, you looked to the two men laying at their feet, before looking behind you in the direction where the ones Zack and you took care of were. Just as you did that, two more came within your vision. Angeal moved to stand in front of the group, "Take the Director to a safe place." Lazard added, "Then contact Sephiroth."<br>"Those two are more than enough." Angeal told him getting in a defensive stance. "Now, go." Zack turned to the Director, "Stay close, Director." And with that, the three of you ran away, Zack and you on either side of him. Not too long after you started running, two infantrymen were spotted, and they ran to you, "Thank goodness you're safe, Director Lazard." The closest one spoke. The Director faced the two of you, "I should be fine now. Go and assist Angeal!" You nodded to him, before running off, "Got it, sir!" Zack ran after you, "I know, I know!" Once you departed, they wasted no time in escorting the Director back to HQ. You had ran around calling out for the 1st in hopes of him replying back, but were given silence instead. "Huh?" You stopped when you spotted more of those red and black armored men laying on the ground.  
>Zack leaned in examining them, "These guys aren't Wutai troops..." You furrowed your eyebrows at his words, and you kneeled beside them, getting a closer look. "I wonder where they came from..." You heard Zack gasp and noticed him take a step back. You looked to the side, soon gasping as well, and moved to stand up. Not too far away from you, was a floating fireball. The ball seemed to get somewhat smaller before expanding back out, creating a round symbol with smaller symbols inside. That only lasted for about a second before a blinding light appeared making you shield your eyes with an arm. When you were sure the light was gone, you opened your eyes and looked around. "Well, this can't be good..."<br>Both of you seemed to have been teleported to some strange fire cavern. Tiny specks of fire floated around as a heavy red fog drifted through the air. There were very high spiked rocks that surrounded the area, and beyond that rested a pit of lava. It was like a battle arena in a way. You slowly turned around, taking in more of the area, and a few seconds after that, your heart skipped a beat when your eyes landed on what was before you. "A summon? Who called it out!" Zack asked, before taking his sword out. "No idea!" You watched the fire summon, Ifrit, for a moment, before raising up a hand to cast blizzard on him. It had partially hit him, but most of it had melted from the fireball he sent towards it. The fireball continued to soar towards you and you used your materia once again, but this time to defuse the flame a bit, before moving out of the way.  
>Zack rushed towards the summon and was able to throw in a couple hits, before having to move away as Ifrit struck the ground, emitting fire all around. You took out your sword, now joining Zack in close ranged combat. You two tried to stay in constant motion as you struck the summon with your swords, trying to avoid as much fire attacks as possible. After a couple more hits, the summon had had enough of you two. He bent forward and brought his arms up to his face in an X position before bring them back down, letting out a loud enraged roar as he moved his head back. He brought it back down, watching you both for a moment, teeth bared, before taking off high in the air. He did a flip as he came back down, fist sticking out as it was engulfed in flames, and before you knew it, he had collided into the ground a bit away from you both.<br>The ground rised and cracked from the impact, the area surrounding him completely covered in flames as the cracks glew a bright red orange. Ifrit rose to his feet in all his glory. The fire that encased his body became brighter as he turned himself into a huge fireball, soon moving in a blur towards Zack and you. The two of you tried to get away by going to the side, but it was too late. Ifrit made contact. The attack lasted for a couple of seconds, before vanishing in a bright light.  
>You now kneeled on the floor while Zack was fighting to stay on his feet, both of you panting heavily. Zack casted a cure on the two of you, making the burns lessen, and giving him just the boost to stay up. Once that was done he began to cast constant blizzards. You stood next to him, body shaking a bit as you lifted a hand up to do the same. This continued on until the summon fell to the ground motionless. Looking over his body for a moment you turned away, smiling victoriously, "I'm glad that's finally over." Zack walked over to you, "Time for a good R and R!" Two loud thuds were heard behind you making you both quickly turn back around. Ifrit was standing back up with a fist pulled back, fire soon shooting out towards you. <em>Oh, Gaiai... <em>You crouched down, holding your arms out in front of you as it came. It didn't come as harsh as the other attacks though, which made you lift your head up curiously.  
>There, standing in front of you and Zack, was Sephiroth, masamune in hand. In an instant, Sephiroth had struck Ifrit with his blade, knocking him off his feet. Soon after, Ifrit glew brightly and curled up a bit, before exploding into fire, going back to where he came from. Sephiroth lowered his sword as the smoke and specks of fire filtered around him. You stared in awe at what just happened. <em>He took him out in one hit and then made him self destruct... that's... that's amazing...!<em>  
>"Holy..." Zack trailed off as Sephiroth walked passed him. Once the summon vanished, you had returned to where you came from as well. Sephiroth stopped in front of the two men from earlier and kneeled beside one of them. He tossed the man's helmet aside, revealing his face. You walked to Sephiroth and peered over him. Zack and you gasped. "Genesis..." Sephiroth took the other man's helmet off, revealing another Genesis. "They're identical!" Zack said as you looked between the two faces, "How can this be?" Sephiroth kept his gaze on the fallen men, "A Genesis copy..." Zack looked from Sephiroth and back to the bodies, "Copy? A human copy?" He took a step back. Sephiroth turned to you both, "Where is Angeal?" You stood up straight, beginning to look around as Zack spoke, "I thought he was fighting around here..."<br>Sephiroth scoffed, "So he's gone, too." Quickly, you turned to him, "What?" The 1st moved to stand, "Wait, what does that mean?" Sephiroth kept his back to you both, "It means Angeal has betrayed us as well." _Betray? Angeal...? _He began to walk away, "No way!" Zack took a couple of steps forward, "I know what kind of guy Angeal is. And he'd never do that!" Sephiroth stopped and turned to face him. He didn't respond. "It's hard to believe that it's even possible... There's just no way." _He's not the kind of person to do something like that! _Sephiroth glanced at you. You were trying to reassure yourself with your thoughts. It became silent for a moment before Zack spoke up again, "Angeal wouldn't betray us! Never!" He backed away a couple of feet, shaking his head. You frowned as a sinking feeling began to take place in your chest. The conversation ended with Zack's words.


	29. Chapter 29

**My apologies for keeping you waiting... yet again. And I just want to say that I don't intend to have Mekina always be with Zack throughout this. She will be with him a lot, yes, but not all the time. And I finally decided on how Genesis and Mekina will go... for the most part at least. ;) I hope you enjoy, my lovely readers! The next part will be out in a moment!**

****Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina.****

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><p>"...Alright. I'll be there soon."<p>

Slipping your PHS back in your pocket, you gripped the hilt of your sword with both hands once more before charging at the last two opponents in the training room. For this little session, you had them take on the forms of Shinra SOLDIERs. Originally, you had started with three, wanting to go a bit easy on yourself from the other times you'd do this. You had always outnumbered yourself, believing that it would make you stronger as long as you took on so many opponents at once, when in reality, all it would do was bring unnecessary injury to yourself. Sure, it improved your agility and evasion somewhat, but it was all done because of the lesson of trial and error. Putting yourself in certain situations in battle and trying to get out of them... it costed you greatly at times.

Once close enough to the nearest one, you swung the blade upwards across his chest in an attempt to end things as soon as possible. You didn't want to keep Lazard, and whoever it was that called you, waiting. The SOLDIER moved back, narrowly missing your assault, and readied his sword in a jabbing position at his side before rushing you. Twirling to the side, you avoided the attack, and moved your sword outwards in mid spin, slicing open his side. When hit, his pace slowed down to a stagger before dropping to the ground with a thud. Still in the spin, you gave a very slight smile when the sound was brought to your ears, and turned to the last SOLDIER, not even sparing the fallen opponent a final glance.

And then there was one. The remaining target was running towards you, sword at his side. Adjusting your weapon to the side as well, you followed in suit. When met in the middle, he swiped at your chest, which you retaliated with by falling to your knees and swung at his waist. Doing an aerial over your blade and landing on a knee, he swiftly turned, bringing his sword to you. Sudden panic filled your eyes. _He's got me and I'm wide open!_ Moving to a crouching position, you pushed off the ground in an attempt to get away. Soon after that, pain ran through your arm, making you wince. Distracted by this, you didn't recover from your push off as you had intended to, and instead, landed on your back harshly, which made you tightly shut your eyes.

Reaching a hand to your injured bicep, you opened your eyes and propped yourself up on an elbow to see the enemy approaching you. "Ugh... I don't have time for this!" Through furrowed eyebrows, you tightened your grip on the sword, and rose to your feet, waiting for the enemy to come closer for what you had in store for him. Once within a couple feet, you took a moment to aim your sword at him, before throwing it. Pierced in the gut, the SOLDIER stopped in mid step and his sword gradually lowered, becoming slack in his hand. Sinking to the ground, he fell back as his sword clattered uselessly to the ground. Now stepping towards the evaporating opponent, you grabbed your sword before it too fell to the ground once the man was completely gone.

Flipping out your PHS, you returned things back to normal and wasted no time in running out of the room towards the briefing room. It had been a while since you last seen the Director... as well as Angeal. _Maybe he finally found out something about Angeal and Genesis? ...I hope it has something to do with them. Please let it have something to do with them..._ Coming out of your thoughts, you turned around a corner and ran down another hall, quickening your pace. Not only because you were eager to hear what the Director had to say, but because you were also late. Very, very late.

...

After apologizing for your tardiness, you learned that they had already discussed the assignment with Zack, and were going to have him run it through with you... but he seemed to have gone somewhere. So instead, Lazard and the Turk named Tseng, the mysterious man that called you earlier, had told you about the mission. And after hearing their words, you were somewhat dispirited since no news on Angeal or Genesis was known. But what did make you feel hopeful was finding out that Zack, Tseng, and you would be going to Genesis' hometown to investigate.

"Really!?" Lazard nodded his head, chuckling. "Yes, the three of you will be going to Banora." Banora, huh? You smiled. Genesis' hometown... I'm looking forward to it. After that thought, you remembered that the first two people sent to investigate lost connection with Lazard. Your smile faded. Even though it sounds like a simple mission, I can't get too relaxed. Once that thought was finished, the door opened and Zack stepped into the room. "There you are, Zack..." Tseng said as Zack and you waved to each other. "Are you ready to go?" Zack walked over to the two of you.

"A routine job, right? No sweat!" He pounded a fist into a hand and started walking around the room a bit. Letting a lazy smile come across your features, you crossed your arms, "Yeah... investigating things shouldn't be too hard." Tseng watched you both for a short moment, "I wonder..." Turning to the side slightly, he took a few steps forward. "Originally, Sephiroth was assigned to this mission. That means it's a top-priority matter." Zack stopped and faced Tseng, while you quirked up an eyebrow. The Turk looked back to you both. "Be alert, or you'll fail." You blinked at his bluntness. Well that settles it. Guard's staying up. "And Sephiroth?" Zack approached Tseng, stopping several feet away from him. "Refusing to go, apparently."

"So we can actually refuse missions when we become a 1st?" You questioned, lowering your arms back to your side. Could this be one of the luxuries Sephiroth was talking about before? "Oh, what is that? They spoil him too much!" It almost looked like Tseng was about to chuckle at Zack's words, "Why don't you tell him that to his face?" Zack raised his hands together, nervously, "Uh, no thanks!" And gave a little head tilt once that was said, making you laugh. "You know, you really do remind me of a puppy when you do that." Zack slowly faced you. "Take that back, Meki..." Taking a step back, you shook your head. "But, puppy, it's true!" Zack advanced with another step. Turning on your heel, you ran for the door with him right behind you, and before you could even leave the room, you were pulled back.

Tseng and Lazard watched the scene quietly as Zack began to tickle your sides. Zack laughed as you tried to squirm away from him. Through your fit of laughter you tried to call to the Director or Tseng for help, and failed everytime, but after about a minute passed they finally understood. "No can do, Mekina. Think of it as punishment for being late..." Lazard pushed his glasses up with a finger while chuckling in amusement. "But Zack, I'm afraid you'll have to stop soon. You both have an assignment to complete." Zack obeyed after a couple more seconds, and let go of you, leaving you on the ground panting heavily with him looming over you. "Whatever you say, Lazard."

...

Finally arriving near the deserted SOLDIER's hometown, the three of you walked along a path under odd looking trees with branches dangling low, holding blueish, purple apples. Somewhat trailing behind Zack and Tseng, you soon stopped to reach a hand out for one to examine, and admire, more closely. "Weird looking trees." Shifting your gaze back to your companions, you realized they had stopped to take a look at the trees as well. Moving closer to them, you began to speak, "You can say that again, Zack. Never in my life have I seen trees like these before." You stopped near Tseng. "These are Banora White Trees." Tseng turned to the two of you, "AKA dumbapples." A small smile formed on your lips at that name, reminding you of the little story Angeal told. Then realization hit you.

"Wait, that means we're in Banora?" Zack took another look around as he spoke before crossing his arms. "Angeal's hometown?" Glancing from Zack to Tseng, a little light appeared in your eyes. "That is correct." _Yes, this is perfect! Now we might actually be able to find out something about Angeal too!_ "Genesis and Angeal have known each other for a long time." Zack quietly took in the Tseng's words while you fought against a big smile breaking out. And in a matter of seconds, the urge was gone. A threat was near. Zack finally uncrossed his arms and the three of you faced down the path. They appeared to be the same men that nearly attacked Lazard back at Wutai, but this time there were only two of them. Zack rushed towards them with you in tow, both pulling out your swords while Tseng stayed back. With him taking the one on the left, you continued to charge the one on the right.

The Genesis copy jumped back, missing your sword before dashing to you, dual blades ready to strike. Moving back, you evaded a swipe of one of his swords, and held your sword in front of you, prepared to block his other sword. Needless to say, you were surprised when he didn't do as you anticipated, and instead, jumped in the air to attack you from above. And once again, you found yourself having the same thoughts you did when you first fought these men. They truly were one of the most energetic opponents you faced. There wasn't enough time for you to counter this attack. Then the sound of a gun went off, and the enemy above you went back a bit from the blow. Taking a step back, you watched as he fell back, hitting the ground. Looking over your shoulder, you saw Tseng lower his arm, gun in hand.

"Thanks, Tseng." Said Turk somewhat nodded his head to you. "Watch yourself, Mekina." You gave an embarrassed half smile while putting your sword at rest on your back. "These guys! I saw them in Wutai, too!" Zack attracted both of your attention, which you were very grateful for. "Yeah, they almost attacked the Director." You added with a nod. "So they are here. We haven't seen any of the townspeople. They may have taken control of the entire town." Zack and you averted your gaze away from the bodies, and looked to Tseng. "When Genesis deserted he took a large arsenal of weapons with him. The president's orders are to retrieve or destroy these weapons immediately upon discovery."

_An arsenal of weapons? But... why?_ You and Zack exchanged a look for no more than a moment. "Leave it to us." He raised his fist up and brought it down, determined. And off you went, running along the path with the Banora Whites hanging overhead towards the town while Tseng calmly followed at his own pace. "A large arsenal of weapons... just what is he trying to do?" Zack wondered aloud as you slightly lowered your gaze to the ground. "I wish I knew, Zack. I really do." You softly murmured before repeating Tseng's words, "When Genesis deserted he took a large arsenal of weapons with him..." Your brows began to furrow as you pondered more about the matter. "They've been holding out on us about this ever since he left." Hearing the low tone of your voice, Zack glanced at you.

He quietly watched you for a couple of seconds. "It's only a matter of time until everything's sorted out, then Genesis and Angeal will be back with us." Now looking to Zack, you noticed the reassuring gaze and smile he was giving you. The expression, along with his words, helped to relax you somewhat. You let your features soften and gave Zack a faint smile in return. "And then we can go on more missions together with Seph." You added, both of your smiles increasing a bit more. "And go to Gold Saucer again! Well... the next time we get a vacation! Uh, whenever that is." Zack said as you agreed, both now chuckling at the memory of all of you at the amusement park. Though, little did either of you know, that that would be the last happy memory all of you will have of being together.

Now the two of you looked back ahead with contented smiles and finally entered the town. Upon entering, it didn't take long for the smiles to fade instantly, almost as if they had never even been there to begin with, for a giant robot was a little ways ahead of you both. Zack skidded to a stop while you slowed down next to him. On each side of the robot was a Genesis copy, their blades already drawn for battle. Wasting no more time, the copies rushed towards you two and you both took out your swords. "Mekina, let me handle them." Before you had time to respond, the one on the right jumped towards Zack, and their swords instantly clashed against one anothers. Watching in sudden intrigue, you complied by crouching down near Zack and quietly observed the fight.

After a moment, Zack managed to disarm one of the guy's swords and sent the weapon soaring through the air. Once that was done, he made the Genesis copy fly back as well with a swift, strong kick to the gut. The other copy instantly dived for Zack just as the first guy had done, but instead of being thrown back by the 2nd, Zack slashed him across the chest, killing him in one move. Having now retrieved the lost dagger, the first copy that attacked dashed towards the two of you again, mainly focusing on Zack, mind you, only to be dealt with in the same fashion as the other copy, and dropped to the floor. And once again, another one of his daggers flew out of his hands, but this time it embedded itself into the ground.

_I still have a long way to go until I'm even close to being as good as that! Wow..._ Now slowly rising to your feet, you turned to face the robot as it's red light began to glow upon the defeat of the copies. Lifting itself from the ground, it raised it's guns to you both. "You were amazing, Zack, but I think I'll help out from here on out." You told him while warily eyeing the guns. "Of course..." The 2nd lowered his sword and stood up straight, "Now let's see how fast we can take this one out." Not too long after that was said, the enemy shot out a missile which took you by some surprise. Zack on the other hand, took a step forward, slicing the missile in two. Then not long after that, each part collided with the ground behind you on either side, creating duo explosions that violently shook the ground.

"Whoa..." You breathed, staring at the older teen in amazement. He grinned at you from over his shoulder for a short moment before looking to the approaching enemy. "We got this! The president won't be disappointed!" Zack readied his sword along with you next to him now. Swiftly darting towards the robot, the target began to shoot at you. Quickening your pace, you moved around the enemy on one side while Zack went the other way. After a few seconds, it stopped trying to turn with you, and you took this chance to move closer, swinging your sword against it's body as much as possible. Zack and you continued the assault for a little while longer until it began to shake and rise a bit while lurching forward. With an uneasy look, you shared a glance with Zack, and in a split second, a shield expanded from the target, forcing you both back with a painful shock.

When the shield finally vanished, Zack moved to the side to continue the attack while you decided to move underneath the droid, attacking from there. After a short while, the robot began to turn to Zack, which he retaliated to by running around it in circles with it trying to follow his movements, intent on shooting him. Seeing this made you quicken your attack speed... at least until it came to another abrupt stop. This made you freeze for a moment and get out from underneath, thinking that the shield would come back. Instead, it slightly lowered itself before shooting up into the air, then coming back down with its sharp legs, trying to stab and crush either of you. Throwing yourself into a jump roll, you managed to avoid the attack as it turned to face you. Once this was noticed, you tossed yourself into another roll, missing the gunshots by a good few seconds.

Turning back around to face the opponent, you dashed back towards it on the opposite side of where Zack was, and it now followed you around like earlier. Zack began to run again as well, trying to keep up with being behind the robot and refused to lighten up on his attacks. As you continued to run, you raised a hand towards it, dropping a blizzard on top of it. Then, yet again, it stopped, releasing one last shield before collapsing against the dirt in a puff of black smoke and sparks. Once the battle was over, you looked over to the Genesis copies. Realizing one of them had their helmet's discarded, you found yourself walking slowly over to him, stopping about a foot away. _It probably fell off once he hit the ground.._. Silently peering down at him, Zack came up beside you, looking as well. "A Genesis copy..."

"Where did you hear that?" Tseng passed by you and Zack. "Sephiroth said it." Zack turned to Tseng as he came to a stop, facing the destroyed droid. "The technology was stolen from our scientists." Hearing this brought your attention to Tseng as Zack let out a surprised sound. "What did he want with it, though?" You quietly inquired. "It apparently allows Genesis' abilities and traits to be transplanted... to SOLDIER members... and monsters." Slowly, you let your gaze move from Tseng to the Shinra technology behind him then back down to the copy at your feet. "SOLDIER and monsters... we're the same?" You remained silent, wondering if Tseng was going to answer him, but when nothing was said, you decided to speak... or at least wanted to. You had no idea what to say at the moment because, like Zack, you were wondering about the same thing.

_Are we really the same as monsters?_

As the three of you continued on through the town, a thought finally crossed your mind. Something that you should have thought about the moment you laid eyes on the town. _Where are the townspeople?_ Taking in the surrounding houses and greenery, you had to admit that it was a nice, peaceful looking town, but with no one, other than yourselves, in sight, it was all a little... creepy._ Like some kind of ghost town... maybe the copies scared them away?_ You had eventually come to a stop near a big house by the largest Banora white tree either of you had seen yet. "This is Genesis' home. His parents are wealthy landowners." Tseng observed you and Zack looking at the tree before taking a couple more steps forward to the house and soon came to a stop. "They weren't mere acquaintances. They grew up together, and were best friends."

The house was beige in color, two stories high, and had dark tiles on the roof. Small, well taken care of bushes and flowers also grew around the house. The Turk started walking closer to the house, quietly examining it as Zack followed behind him. "So Genesis deserts and gets his best friend Angeal to join him... Is that it?" Now at this point you had moved over to them with a curious air about you. "Sephiroth believes that's the case... there." Tseng glanced to the side with you and Zack following his gaze to several rocks resting underneath a banora white a little ways away from the home. "A gravestone. Still very new." So either the townspeople ran away, are hiding, or got killed by... you frowned as a chill ran through you. "Do you think this is why we haven't spotted any of the townspeople yet? The... copies killed them...?" Tseng's eyes never left the gravestone as he spoke, "It's a possibility. They could also be in hiding... which leads us to our next objective."

"Mekina, Zack, go find Angeal's house. I'll check the grave." Tseng began to walk toward the grave with Zack slowly following behind him. "Ugh, so Turks always do this stuff?" Zack asked. "Someone has to do it." You looked up to Tseng after that was said, "Well that sounds depressing..." Zack nodded his head in agreement before coming to a stop. "Must be rough..." Tseng glanced over to the two of you and lifted a hand in reassurance, which attracted both of your attention instantly. "Don't worry. We're paid much better than you are." Now you came to a stop, a smile slowly forming on your lips since you found the way the mood suddenly changed to be somewhat funny.

"No way!" Zack's reaction only made your smile bigger, and you reached a hand up to cover your mouth, trying not to laugh. You already experienced what Zack was feeling when Sephiroth told you, so you weren't really that surprised to find out that the Turks got more than 2nd classes. Tseng kneeled down beside the grave and spoke, never taking his eyes away from the stones. "Angeal's home should be in the group of houses over there. Be careful, the area may already be under the enemy's control." You nodded. "Understood." You and Zack took off along the dirt path and went downhill to the center of town where the fountain was. "Let's see, Angeal's house is..."

Zack and you now stood in front of the circular fountain, pondering about which house could be Angeal's. They all pretty much looked the same, each had the brown tiled roof and a beige paint job while some houses had flowers and plants around them. "I have no idea! We'll just have to check each house..." You slowly nodded your head. "So I guess we split up now?" Zack gave you a nod, "I'll take these two." He pointed to the two on the left. "And I got these two." You smiled motioning to the right side. Once that was decided, you both went separate ways without a second thought.


	30. Chapter 30

**The next chapter is already in progress (I started writing as much as I could, then split them into parts ^^ Got up to 13 pages so far, and I want each chapter to have about 5 or higher before I find it worthy enough in length of being posted... Now with that being said, I hope this takes you all a while, haha! But probably not? Yeah, probably not... it needs to be longer!) and I hope to have that one out before the week ends. Let's see how that'll work out, eh? **

**Anyways, enjoy :) **

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina.****

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><p>After not even a minute of searching, Zack had found the only home occupied, and brought you over to the woman inside. Upon entering, you saw a middle aged woman sitting in a chair at her table. She had soft dark eyes, black hair above her shoulders beginning to fade to a dark grey, a green shawl over a white long sleeved shirt, and a green skirt that reached to the floor. "Are you Angeal's mother?" Zack asked. Apparently once he found her, he wasted no time in running to get you over here which hardly took any time at all seeing as you were in the house next door. When she didn't respond he continued, "Uh... this is Mekina, and my name is Zack." You slightly nodded your head to her, smiling a bit when introduced. She watched you both in thought for a second before looking away. After a short moment, her expression turned to sudden realization. "Are you Zack, the puppy?"<p>

"Excuse me?" The woman chuckled as you watched in amusement, "My son wrote to me once about you. Zero attention span, restless as a little puppy." She laughed once more as Zack crossed his arms, "Thanks, Angeal..." You smiled, beginning to laugh as well. "And he also told me about you, Mekina." Now it was Zack's turn to watch in amusement. "Uh oh... what did he say?" You questioned curiously, the smile never leaving your face. "He mentioned how you can be restless like Zack the puppy at times. Very playful." Zack frowned when referred to by his nickname again while you snickered. Glancing at you, he nudged your side, making you jump which caused him and Angeal's mother to chuckle. Once the sound died down, Mrs. Hewley spoke, albeit a little hesitant. "You're not... here together with Genesis, are you?"

"No, we're not. Don't worry." Zack pushed away from the wall he was leaning against and uncrossed his arms. "What is happening with my son?" You and Zack shared a look, "We're not really sure." Mrs. Hewley slowly turned back to face ahead, a somber look in her eyes. Seeing her like that made your eyes soften and you took a few steps over to her. "When we find out what happened, we'll be sure to let you know." You knew you shouldn't tell anyone that wasn't with Shinra such things, but at the moment you didn't really care about the rules and regulations. _She is the mother of a 1st class SOLDIER who is MIA, she has more right than anyone else to know what's happening to her son... _You quietly gave yourself a short nod at the end of that thought.

She closed her eyes and remained silent for a moment. "Genesis came back here, a month ago, with an army of cohorts." She lowered her head sadly, "And they proceeded to take the lives of many townspeople." You moved next to her, gently resting a hand on her shoulder as you let her words sink in. "Genesis... he use to be such a good boy..." _Murdering the people of your own hometown... Genesis, just what the hell are you thinking? _Zack switched his gaze from the window and back to her, "Is Angeal...?" Zack took a step closer. "He came here. But he left his sword and went off somewhere." As Mrs. Hewley said this, she looked to you and Zack before glancing behind her to the buster sword laying against the wall. Zack walked closer to it as Mrs. Hewley turned back around in her chair. "That sword represents our family's honor."

"I see... no wonder..." Zack muttered to himself as you continued to look at the sword. "He never uses this sword, really ever." You nodded at his words, facing Angeal's mother once more. "I think the only time I ever saw him use it was when he saved Zack and I..." Suddenly another memory came to you right after you said that, and you faintly furrowed your eyebrows. _The training room incident._ Looking down to his mother you noticed her lips turned upward into a small smile, and seeing this made you bare a similar expression. "We'll take care of Angeal. You should go and hide somewhere." Zack had moved to kneel beside her. She lightly shook her head. "Don't be concerned. Genesis... cannot harm me." Zack gave a soft hum before rising to his feet and taking one last glance to Angeal's sword.

Giving her shoulder a final soft, reassuring squeeze, you removed your hand and exited the little house with Zack. Once you both left the house you both stopped and turned to each other in thought. _So Angeal was here... and Genesis... _"They can't be that far now..." You murmured. "Angeal... where did you go?" Just as Zack finished saying that, the sound of something falling came to your ears, and you both quickly faced the direction. "What!?" Zack exclaimed as you glanced around the area. "Look, over there!" Three Genesis copies were sighted near an entrance to the town with a long silver gate knocked on the ground behind them. You started running towards the copies, drawing your sword out with Zack following behind.

When you were within range, the closest two dived for you since you were in the front, and you slowed down to crouch low before pushing yourself off the ground, attempting an aerial over their heads. Once close enough to them in mid air as you thought you'd be, you swung your sword at the back of the left ones head, all the while still upside down. Successfully hitting your mark, you smiled victoriously as you continued to go with the momentum of the spin. Once turned upright, you positioned your sword to the side as you readied for your landing. When your feet returned to the ground, you charged as fast as you could, trying your best to finish at least two of them off at a quick pace. The third copy rushed towards you as well, swords held behind him as he drew closer, and when close enough, slashed both of his weapons at you at once.

Holding your sword in front of you, you managed to block the duo blades, and with them both occupied at the moment, you pushed him back with a front kick. Continuing the assault, you advanced on him, sword raised, ready to take him out. As you neared him, he raised his swords in the air and twirled the blades around before swinging them outwards, casting blizzard on you. You inhaled in sharply as the ice dropped on you, instantly sending harsh chills through you. It collided into your left shoulder, forcing you back with a pained wince. Staggering back a step, you strengthened your stance as the copy charged towards you.

Through narrowed eyes, you moved to match his pace and ducked down on a knee when he attacked you again with his swords, missing the attack. Swiftly switching onto your other knee, you spun around to face him and slashed your sword across his lower back. Standing up as the copy dropped, you rolled your shoulder a bit, tightly closing your eyes as you did so. "Hey, you okay?" Eyes still closed, you half smiled and nodded your head. "Thought I had him, but I forgot they could use magic." _How stupid of me... _You felt Zack place a hand on your pauldron. "Good thing this was covering you." After that was said, his PHS went off. Opening your eyes, you moved closer to him to listen to Tseng. "There's a factory on the outskirts of town. I saw a Genesis copy go inside."

"You think that's their headquarters?" Zack asked, looking down at you as you gingerly began to massage underneath your pauldron. "Most likely. I'm currently on a cliff overlooking the factory. A frontal attack is inadvisable. We'll go in from above. Come to the cliff immediately." And with that, Zack hung up his PHS and slipped it back into his pocket. Without another word, the two of you passed over the fallen gate and went off to the factory.

...

With the factory and cliff now in sight, you went at a light run over to Tseng with Zack behind you. Crouching down on his left as Zack took his right, you overlooked the factory. It was made of wood and had quite a bit of windows running along the sides, and from your position, you could see some of the inside since the roof was completely covered in rows of glass. Tseng stayed silent for a while as you both examined the factory. "Genesis' parents were in that grave." Eyes widening as big as saucers, you looked to him incredulously. "Wait, he... his own family?" Zack questioned in disbelief. "How could he...? That's just..." You were clearly at a loss of words, unable to believe how someone could do such a thing to their own family. _First the townspeople then his parents!? Why!? _

"We can't expect reason from him. What about Angeal?" The pang of sadness and anger tightened in your chest as Tseng spoke those words. "He wasn't at the house." Zack answered slowly. _No reason...? And what about Angeal? If Angeal really did leave with Genesis, then what's going to happen now!? _Zack's next words brought you out of your thoughts. "But please, give us time! If we find Angeal, we can talk to him." He motioned to you and himself, "If we can convince Angeal, then maybe Genesis will come back too." Your distraught mind quelled slightly and Tseng lowered his gaze to the factory in thought. Nodding to yourself, you tried your best to get rid of the negative thoughts. Zack was right. All you two needed was time.

_I need to become strong like Zack, and not just physically... but mentally too. Especially the latter. Now's not the time to lose it..._ "We'll do everything we can to bring them back with us. There's still a chance things will turn out alright." _Except for the fact that nearly an entire town was killed off, _a little voice in the back of your mind reminded you. Closing your eyes, you shook your head. _There's still a chance... things will be okay, _you told yourself reassuringly. Tseng thought over each of your words for a little while longer. "I understand now why Sephiroth chose you two." Zack and you sent him curious looks, "Genesis and Angeal. Those two were Sephiroth's best friends. He didn't want to fight them. That's why he refused the mission."

"Well, they're our friends too!" Zack told him looking back to the factory. "He's counting on you two to bring them both back." Zack lowered his head at that and you smiled softly. "We won't let Sephiroth down." Tseng rose to stand. "Time is short. Let's go." Rising to your feet along with Zack, the three of you faced the factory. "So what way would be best to go in?" You asked eyeing the facility, completely missing the grin that appeared on Zack's face. "In a furtive manner would be for the-" Tseng stopped speaking as Zack jumped off the cliff and landed right on the glass, breaking into it with a loud crash. Covering the smile on your face, you and Tseng exchanged looks.

Tseng sighed as you laughed. "Nevermind." Turning back to the factory, you lowered yourself before following after Zack and fell through the roof. After landing, you stood up next to Zack, taking in the factory. "Infiltration successful!" Smile still in place, you nudged his arm as you continued looking around. Both of you stood on a platform above the ground. Not much was really in the huge room, except for crates scattered along the walls, a couple of staircases around the room leading downward, the trio of Genesis copies running towards you and Zack, and- _Oh gaia. _As the copies stopped around you both, Tseng dropped from the ceiling, landing behind you. Zack kept his gaze on the clones as he spoke. "Go on ahead. We'll take care of things here." Tseng gave a short nod before running out of the way, leaving the trio to you two.

...

"Mekina, Zack, this way." Looking over your shoulders you saw Tseng stand on the lowest platform of the room. "Keep an eye out for enemies." Making way down to the ground level, you both had more clones and technology to deal with. This time two copies and a red and silver robot. The Shinra technology had three fans at the top of it, keeping it several feet high. The technology was quickly taken care of after recieving a few thunders from Zack, and once that was dealt with, another copy joined the fight with the two you were currently fighting against. In a flurry of sword clashes, you were caught in the midst of the trio, fighting furiously. Ducking down, you missed a swing to the head, and swiftly moved back up, bringing your sword upwards towards the cuplrit as you did so.

Your blade swept across his chest, causing him to fall back. Sword still raised, you swung to the other side, parlaying with the copy on your right. Looking over his shoulder, you watched Zack take out the third copy and smiled as he came over to you, coming right behind the copy you were sword locked with. The man fell to the ground as Zack brought down his sword on his back. You both then went at ease and you reached a hand up to your bruised, swollen shoulder, hoping to get rid of some of the pain from moving it around so much. At the bottom of the platform Tseng, Zack, and you came from, was a room, and standing in the doorway was Tseng. "This way." He then turned, entering the room. As you entered the room, you saw another entryway ahead, and continued on after Tseng.

Every room you passed by pretty much only had a large amount of crates in them, but in the third room, a desk with a computer was discovered. Along with a few more crates, of course. There wasn't much on the desk, save for several books. Dispersed across the floor in front of the desk were papers, which you eyed for a moment before looking back to Tseng. The Turk was leaning over the keyboard gathering information as Zack and you approached him. "Looks like the copies are being made here. Check the second floor. Genesis may be there." Zack looked back to another door in the back of the room next to a large grandfather clock that stood to at least ten feet tall. Following his gaze you gave a shallow nod.

_Okay, so he might actually be here... _Exhaling slowly, you moved towards the open door. _And if he is and Angeal wasn't there, then... would he still listen? _As Zack and you went into the room, a very familiar voice filled your ears. "Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess. We seek it thus, and take to the sky..." Your heart raced as you neared closer. "Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest..." There, on the far side of the room by the window, was the missing red SOLDIER, sitting with a leg propped up and an arm resting against it. His head was turned down to the beloved white leathered book in his hand, causing his auburn hair to cover his face from view.

In this moment, you finally realized how much you had missed seeing the red 1st. You also realized how much you missed hearing him quote Loveless, for you felt a small warmth in your chest upon seeing and hearing him again. _There's something seriously wrong with me... I hate this stupid feeling,_ you mused, not liking the feelings you were getting. Missing him was a given, along with anger and confusion, but there were also several other emotions that you did not want to feel, but couldn't help it. Fear... and anxiety. After everything that he'd done, you weren't sure if there would be a positive outcome to all of this. _Murdering almost an entire town rarely ever ended well for the murderer, after all... but then SOLDIER kill people in general, so that would make me a murderer as well... the only difference would be that we don't kill civilians, though. _You then frowned. _Even so, perhaps we really are monsters?_

By now you and Zack had stopped walking and Genesis glanced in your direction before scoffing. Tilting his head to the side, he looked to the older teen. "Settle down... Zack the puppy." You raised a brow at the 1st class as Zack let out an irritated noise. Tseng entered the room right after that little interaction, and looked to Genesis for a moment before averting his gaze to the side, and walked over to whatever it was that gained his attention. Glancing at Tseng, you finally realized why he went over there. _Some kind of... metal test tube? _Taking a closer look you noticed that someone was in there, floating in what looked to be mako. It was none other than a Genesis copy. "The grave at the house..." Tseng started as he faced back to the SOLDIER, "We found the remains of our people there as well."

"It didn't take much to have them send false reports. Just some mild threats..." Tseng began to approach the 1st quickly, but stopped himself as Zack began to speak. "They would have done that anyway. At least your parents would have." The last part seemed to have hit a mark since Genesis rose to his feet. "My 'parents' betrayed me. They had always betrayed me, from the very beginning." The anger you felt earlier began to gradually come back to you. "So killing your own parents is just nothing more than a _mild_ thing to you?" Genesis narrowed his eyes at you and lifted up a hand. "What do you know?" Fire began to encase his hand, "Shinra lapdogs!" The next thing you knew was that Tseng was hit by the fire and thrown back, crashing against the test tube. You watched in fear for him, "Tseng!"

He collapsed to his knees, all the while still in flames, and Zack pulled out his sword. Feeling yourself begin to shake, you mentally cursed yourself and reached a hand up to grip the hilt of your sword, but did not draw it out. You were torn. And then the sound of a pair of footsteps was heard from behind. Looking to the side, you felt some relief wash over you as you watched the second missing SOLDIER take Zack's sword and stop in front of said 2nd, facing Genesis. "Welcome, partner." Genesis opened his arms out to his friend. Without a word, Angeal only raised Zack's sword to him. The red SOLDIER lowered his arms at this. "I see... you've finally made your decision." He held a hand to his chest. "I'll respect your wishes, old friend. However..." Dropping his hand back to his side, he walked to Angeal, stopping right beside him.

"Can you really live on that side?" Genesis began to walk away again as Angeal lowered the sword and turned to follow him. Seeing this, you and Zack both reacted by taking steps towards him. "Angeal!" The 1st pushed Zack back and stabbed his sword into the wooden floor making Zack stop, puzzled by Angeal's actions. With a scoff, he turned to leave after Genesis. You switched your gaze from Angeal to Zack then back to Angeal again before going after him as Zack finally retrieved his sword. "Hey, Angeal!" He didn't stop and left the room. As Zack and you left to the main room you both stopped and looked around for him. "Damn! Where did he go? Did he leave the factory?"

"Most likely, yeah. They've been compromised." You replied under your breath, both of you now turning to a large door along one of the walls. When close enough, it slid open on its own and two dark blue monsters with pointed ears came in, growling. Before either of you could reach for your swords, the monsters began to get shot at, and you instantly looked back as they fell over, motionless. And there was Tseng, standing perfectly fine with his gun out. He moved to put his gun away as you both stared at him in shock. "There's no time. We have to leave now." Tseng threw his hand aside as he spoke. "We're not gonna go look for those two?" Zack asked as the Turk walked over to you both.

"All evidence of misconduct must be erased. Company rules. An airstrike will neutralize this town." Three monsters just like the last two came in from the opening, making you get in a defensive stance. _But what about Angeal and Genesis? What if they don't get away far enough to save themselves in ti- _you froze in place. _Angeal's mom is still here! _Looking to Zack, you saw the anxious expression he had. Tseng broke the silence. "Are you sure that nobody is at Angeal's house?" It was like he read your minds. Neither of you spoke as Tseng looked from you to him. "Hurry!" And that was all you needed to hear in order to sprint past the monsters and back to the town. Tseng was far more than able enough to handle the monsters on his own.


	31. Chapter 31

**Out on time for once, though it was somewhat rushed... but I'm actually slightly pleased with the outcome. I've been thinking about this story a lot lately and came up with quite a bit of ideas that I can't wait to write down for future chapters! Very open to constructive criticism, by the way, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you read. It would be greatly appreciated (A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed! -gives each of you a cookie- :D). **

**I hope you are able to enjoy this chapter even though it's not a happy one! ^^**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina.**

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><p>After nearly half a minute of running, Zack's PHS went off and he stopped to listen while you slowed down a bit. "I'll keep going!" Zack nodded to you, "Right behind you!" He paused for a moment, listening to Tseng. "Are you serious!? What do we do now?" Hearing this made you cease running. "What!?" Your eyes filled with worry as you continued to listen Zack. "I have to do it!" Watching him for a final second, you turned on your heel, once again running straight to town. <em>Can't waste anymore time! Have to move!<em> After going along the dirt path a little longer, the town was finally within sight, and you darted towards Angeal's house, which happened to be the closest house by the path you were coming from. You pushed the door open.

"I'm sorry, but we need to get you out of-" Your breath hitched at the sight before you. Angeal's mother laid lifeless on the floor, the chair she was sitting in knocked over on its side. After a moment, you let yourself finally take in a breath when you realized you had stopped. Letting your head drop, you lightly shook your head. Feeling a presence behind you, you lifted your head sullenly and looked to the right. "Angeal...?" He wasn't looking at you and kept his gaze down. You stared at him in disbelief when you noticed his buster sword was out. "No... Angeal, you? Why would you...!?" You couldn't bring yourself to finish those words. Nevertheless, no answer was given to you. "Please... tell me you didn't." _I don't want to believe that you of all people would do something like this!_ "Please tell me you just found her this way!" You still received nothing from him.

Zack came rushing into the room, coming to a halt behind you. He gasped and took a startled step back once he saw her body. He watched her still form in shock before looking to you, then to the woman's son near the doorway. Angeal averted his eyes when Zack's eyes landed on him and his sword. Zack came at him, gripping him tightly by his armor. "What the hell did you do, Angeal!?" Getting no response, he forced him into the other wall by the door before punching him in the face.

You couldn't help but to wince as you watched Angeal stumble out the door from the impact, then fall to the ground with a puff of dirt. "Is that... is that your idea of honor!?" Zack yelled as Angeal began to sit up. "My mother... could not continue to live. And neither can the son." Taking in his words, you sort of began to understand what he meant, and somberly looked at him. Angeal caught your look and faintly shook his head from side to side.

"What are you talking about! What's going on here!?" Another voice joined in the conversation. "I told you." Genesis came into view, hand resting on the door frame. Angeal let his gaze fall a bit as he continued to speak. "You can't live on that side anymore." _Sides?_ Angeal silently placed his sword on his back and turned, walking away. "Angeal!" Zack cried out, leaving the house to run out after him, but ended up falling into the dirt since Genesis tripped him. "Angeal!" He yelled after him again when he lifted up his head from the ground. You quickly ran past Genesis to Zack, kneeling down beside him. If you got the meaning of Angeal's words right, then that would have meant that his mother took her own... and if he can't continue either, then- "Angeal, whatever these sides are, aren't important!" Watching him depart for a few seconds more, you added quietly. "You can still continue."

Knowing he heard those words because of his mako enhancements, you turned to the other missing SOLDIER. "Genesis, why are you doing this?" Genesis looked to you for a moment, both of your eyes locking. "My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I?" With a hand on Zack's shoulder you never removed your eyes from Genesis. Zack moved to get up. "Shut up! Shut up, I'm warning you!" Genesis started to walk slowly to you both as he spoke. "All that awaits you is a somber morrow. No matter where the winds may blow." He lifted a hand up dramatically as he quoted the last part. Helping Zack get up, you pulled his arm as Genesis finally stopped talking. "I don't see Sephiroth today, but... are you game?" His hand lit up in a bright light before expanding into a circle with all kinds of symbols in it. This only last for a few more seconds before a blinding light took place.

Zack and you shut your eyes before reopening them when you were sure the brightness was gone. _Not this again..._ The two of you were on a cliff high up in the air surrounded by dark clouds and powerful tornadoes that whirled around you. A roar was heard, which belonged to the summon, Bahamut, who was flying around the area. Bahamut then appeared in front of you two, and roared once again, making you wince before it flew back a bit, facing you. "A summon!? So that's how it is, huh!" Zack gripped his sword tightly as you looked up at it. Since the summon was too far out of reach, you decided to use magic for the time being. Raising a hand, you casted a blizzard upon Bahamut as Zack went at him with his sword.

Zack pushed himself off the ground, bringing his sword into one of Bahamut's legs, causing the summon to quickly move to a different position in a gust of wind. Zack followed his position as you began firing out another blizzard with a wave of your hand, feeling pleased as the summon growled when the ice hit him. After casting another one, you began to feel a little worn out. _Can't waste all of my magic just yet. I probably have enough for about eight more until I'm out._ Reaching for your sword, you moved closer to join Zack in close range combat. As the two of you slashed at Bahamut's legs, it let out another enraged roar, and turned to smack you both away with its hard tail, throwing you two back with a scream.

Crashing into the ground, you groaned as you landed on your bad shoulder, but forced yourself to stand as Zack got up. The summon hardly gave you two anytime to recover, and started firing lightning bolts, which you and Zack managed to evade for the most part, escaping with only a couple of burns. Zack casted a cure on you and himself, easing away some of the pain as the comforting warmth spread through your bodies. "When this is over I gotta get me one of those..." You panted, weakly gripping your sword between both hands. Zack chuckled. "I'll help you get more than just a cure." Now looking back to the summon, you both realized that it took off high in the air with a light blue glow around it. The summon then began to visibly absorb the glow into its wings, then opened its mouth, charging up the bright blue light into a powerful, blinding ball with lightning flowing all about.

Then it leaned back before firing the deadly force down upon you and Zack, forcing you both back yet again with another painful scream. You hit the dirt with a sickening crunch while the ground shook and trembled uncontrollably. When the light faded away you laid sprawled out on your back, eyes blankly gazing up at the dark, gloomy clouds with your mouth hanging ajar. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and burns marred your body as you laid still while your breathing became somewhat shallow. You heard Zack call out your name and saw him at your side less than a second later, casting a cure. You attempted to speak, but found you were unable to. Was it because of shock? You didn't know. But it did cause some pain when you tried. _Maybe I hit the ground too hard..._

Another roar filtered through the air and Zack stood in front of your body protectively with his sword out. You moved to push up off the ground, but instantly fell back with a short cry. "Just stay here, Mekina. I'll keep you safe." He gave you a small grin before going off. Turning your head, you watched the fight while slowly becoming lost in your thoughts, and at the moment, only a couple things haunted your mind. Zack's safety being the first... then the sudden realization that all of your training was for nothing. A downcast look made its way across your pained face after that thought, only to increase as the thoughts continued even further to Angeal, before drifting to how Genesis was currently trying to kill Zack and you with a summon.

_And now I'm too injured to even help Zack fight... why am I so weak? Shouldn't I be able to handle this? Haven't I trained enough already...?_ You frowned at all of these questions you were asking yourself, then remembered the questions you had asked Angeal and Genesis. _So many unanswered questions and hidden meanings... I may as well ask myself a question that I can actually answer. Something still relevant to everything going on..._ You pitifully half smiled at how you were talking to yourself. Throughout the past few years of your life, you had found yourself doing these kinds of things a lot when you were feeling discouraged. Though usually they'd just be small pep talks instead of questions, and in the end, they had always made you feel slightly better.

This was only a new approach for the same desired outcome._ Let's see now..._ With Genesis and Angeal still on your mind, you managed to come up with something after about a minute. _What would a 1st do in this situation?_ After watching Zack fight for about another minute, you went to sit up with a grimace, trying to ignore the pain. The answer was obvious, and since the question involved something you truly desired to become, it gave you that last bit of a push you needed to try getting up again.

That dream of yours was one of the strongest drives you had, and you would try to do everything you could to reach it. And as for your other drives? Well, one of them was another obvious one. The desire to protect those dear to you, which were only a few people, most of them being stronger than you. And one of them was fighting right now, while another one caused the whole ordeal with his little summon. _I have to keep going... that's what a 1st would do. If I want to be a 1st, that's what I have to do. I can still fight. I have to fight._

Body crying out in protest, you stubbornly rose on severely sore, shaky legs. Tightly grasping your sword, you used it to help keep you up as a wave of dizziness passed over you to go with your pain. At the moment, Zack was swinging at Bahamut's legs again, and you began to trudge over to them. When you were about twenty feet away, you stopped and lowered yourself, shifting your sword into your left hand as you did so before raising your right hand. Waving your hand around, you dropped a blizzard, soon followed by another, then another...

Brows drawing together in determination, a small bead of sweat ran down your face as you continued casting magic. This continued even as you felt Zack's eyes on you, but you didn't look at him. You were too focused to. He seemed to be relieved to see you able to fight back still, and quickly looked back to the summon to continue his assault. After half a minute later, you finally came to a stop when you had failed the second time to use blizzard, too tired to go on. Lowering your arm, you panted softly as your eye lids began to lower slightly._ I've done everything I can now._

Leaning forward, you held yourself up on both arms while watching Zack finish the fight. Another minute or two passed until Zack made the last strike against Bahamut's lower stomach, finally putting an end to this battle. With one final roar, Bahamut leaned back, slowly becoming engulfed by a soft purple glow before vanishing and being replaced by a bright red materia. Dropping to the ground with a thump, Zack walked over to retrieve it. After the materia was in his hand, the entire area returned back to the town of Banora.

Zack stood up and you lifted your head a little higher when the back of Genesis was in sight. Zack held up the materia in a fist, "Summons aren't meant to be used like this! What happened to dreams and honor?" At this point, your lack of energy began to take its toll, and you started having trouble keeping your eyes open. You didn't want to lose consciousness just yet... you wanted to see Genesis a little bit longer. Was that too much to ask for? Everything so far was taking a turn for the worse, and since Angeal left, you didn't doubt that Genesis would leave as well.

Genesis kept his back turned, gaze set on the ground. "We are... monsters." After raising his left hand to his face, he kept it in place for a moment before quickly extending his arm out to the side. Zack took a step back and gasped at what he saw, eyes wide. The tired feeling barely edged away as you watched a large black wing sprout out from his left shoulder through surprised eyes. Large feathers fluttered around the three of you when his wing was revealed.

_How in the world did he get that? And how does having that make him a monster? And we as in... Angeal as well... does that mean Angeal has a wing too?_ With a sharp breath of pain, you attempted to get up when you recovered slightly from the shock, but failed, falling back down like the first time you tried. "You're n-" Instantly, you started coughing. You finally managed to say something, but it came out hoarse and painful. You clenched a fist tightly in frustration. Luckily, the cough only lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough to worry Zack. After Genesis looked to his wing, he glanced over his shoulder to you two, face partially hidden by strands of hair. Even though you couldn't see his eyes, you could still feel the heat of his gaze upon your injured figure more so than Zack's. "We have neither dreams nor honor." And with that, he took off to the sky, leaving behind a trail of black feathers gently raining down on Zack and you.

In a matter of seconds, you watched as he became nothing more than a dark speck in the distance before speeding off into another direction. Your eyes lingered a while longer, watching as the wind gently turned the feathers about, drifting throughout the air before softly landing to Gaia. A feather eventually dropped into your lap, causing you to look down at it. Grasping it, you heard Zack speak. "SOLDIER... doesn't mean monster."

You continued to look at the feather, running a thumb along it in thought._ What's happening to them? And why couldn't Angeal's mom continue living...?_ A weight rested in your chest and you gave a small, bitter smile._ Just more unanswered questions to go with all the other ones..._ When Zack came over to you, you finally looked up to him has he kneeled down. "So you can't speak, huh? Well, let's get you out of here." Zack helped you stand before moving to carry you, then quickly getting out of town.

Still fighting against falling asleep, you held onto your sword and feather as Zack ran to the outskirts of Banora. Half a minute passed until the airstrike occurred, causing loud explosions to erupt from every direction in the small town. When Zack felt it safe enough, he slowed down and looked back, both of you now watching the whole place in flames. A Shinra helicopter with Tseng in it pulled up behind you two, making your hair blow around harshly as you dismally observed Angeal and Genesis' hometown burn. Zack closed his eyes while lowering his head and you slowly glanced up at him before looking back to Banora one last time. "Zack, Mekina, let's go!" Tseng called out over the helicopter while hanging out the door. Zack gave one more look as well before going in with you... and then you finally let yourself pass out.


	32. Chapter 32

Hey everyone, um... I'm back ^^' I can't believe it's almost been a year since this was updated... I'm sorry for making you wait for this, but thank you for baring with my slowness. I was busy with college and trying to find a job, but still came up empty handed. At least I got all of my english classes for college out of the way. Stupid essays made me tired of writing for a while. This chapter has been in progress since around summer, but I finally got it done a few weeks back... the reason for it not coming out sooner was because I'm a bit nervous about a certain part here. I didn't want it to seem forced or anything between them, so... I hope at least some of you guys will like this one. The next chapter is actually almost done, but I'm even more nervous about how you guys will react to that one, lols.

I also want to give a big thanks to Pink Pencil HB for giving me advice! Ever since the last chapter came out, I've been conflicted on how I want Mekina to go... whether or not I should give her some time for personal things, or continue on with the storyline. I shall follow my instincts like you said :) *bows deeply to Pink Pencil HB* Thanks again! (Sorry for not putting periods in your name, whenever I tried, fanfiction would change it to only .HB after it was saved :l)

And don't worry my dear readers, I don't plan to have this story die anytime soon :D

Heh, I finally made this story over 100,000 words xD *glows* Thank you for sticking with me this long everyone!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for my OC, Mekina.**

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><p>Finally coming to, you hesitantly opened your eyes only to quickly shut them once more, blinded by the brightness of a light, at first. A rather small light source may I add. Clearly it was a little too much for your mako enhanced eyes to handle upon awakening. When a couple more seconds passed, you tried once again, succeeding in only opening them enough to a squint. Minding the possible dizziness you will most likely feel, you did not dare to get up just yet, and instead, opted to staring at the white ceiling of the room.<p>

Eyes becoming more adjusted to the light hanging overhead, you cautiously observed what little of the room you could without moving too much. To the right was a small table, and just above that, was a partially cracked open window, with blue curtains gently swaying to and fro as a light breeze entered the tiny room. Taking a moment to look out the window as best as you could in your position, you watched the grey clouds of Midgar. _How long have I been here?_ Cautiously turning to look to your left, all you saw was a lone, wooden chair. _And why is this the first time I've been to the infirmary!? I never knew we even had one!_

Contemplating over this thought, you went back over the times you did get injured. None of those times had really been as bad as this one. _I couldn't even speak... _you began to pale as you let the events that had caused you to be here run through your head. _Just how long have I been here anyway? And can I speak now? _Parting your lips to give it a try, you soon found yourself closing them. What if you couldn't? And why couldn't you get your words out back then? Warily, you moved up into a sitting position. Feeling only some pain around your middle, you wrapped an arm around your stomach.

Getting ready to actually give speaking a try, you took in a breath which brought your eye into a wince. Well, now you had a clear idea as to why you couldn't get any words out before. Something was wrong with either your lungs or ribs. _Or maybe both, _you mused as you got a better look of the room. The walls were of white while the ground was covered in grey tiles. Averting your gaze to the pale blue sheets you had been clutching between your fingers, you moved them aside to take a look at yourself. Seeing one of those hospital gowns upon your form had you worried.

_In order to end up like this, I must've really been... _you trembled slightly. Never ending up in an infirmary like this in your life had scared you the more you thought about it. But things like this were to be expected after all, and you knew that. As long as you were in SOLDIER, you had to be prepared for things like this, and you were sure that you could handle it when you joined. It was okay to feel a little shaken up after all, right? Ever so slowly, you inhaled and exhaled. "Hello?" After speaking with ease, you relaxed before trying again. This time a little bit louder, "...Can anyone hear me?"

When your words came out just fine, you now wanted to try standing and see how that would turn out. Keeping an arm around your middle, you turned to the right, and brought your feet to the cool tiled floor. Finally unclutching the bed sheets, you lightly pushed off of the bed to stand. Finding that you could do so relieved you greatly. _Looks like I worried more than I should have,_ briefly, a slight smile came across your face. Glancing out the window, you took several steps closer to it, enjoying the somewhat cold breeze that caressed your skin and blew past your knee-length gown.

Watching the bright green light from a reactor in the distance take to the darkened sky, you drifted away to your mind, thinking about what had occurred at Banora. The sight before you was similar to how the flames stretched to the heavens, reaching to the dark overhead the destruction had created. The way the fire flickered and traveled about, eating away at the homes and trees, slowly turning everything into nothing more than ash... it all seemed to be engraved into you.

Eyes still trained on the green particles of mako floating to the clouds of Midgar, you pondered over Angeal and Genesis. _I wonder how they feel about their home ending up like this? Genesis... he doesn't seem to care, I mean... he... _your eyes narrowed,_ he killed the townspeople and even his own parents. But... what about Angeal? His mom ended her own life, if I understood his words correctly. What if things get even worse... and he tries to do the same? _Then, both of their voices ran through you.

_"My mother... could not continue to live. And neither can the son."_

_"My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow. No matter where the winds may blow."_

_"We are... monsters. We have neither dreams nor honor." _

The longer you thought over all the things they've said, the more your expression softened. You were finally beginning to feel like you had a small idea of what was going on in their heads. Though as for why they decided to handle things likes this, you didn't know. Was all this death truly necessary? Did an entire town have to become desolated? Eradicated? Even though it was only a tiny fraction that was starting to make sense, more questions began to arise. "All that awaits you is a somber morrow. No matter where the winds may blow..." Subconsciously, you lifted a hand to pull out the necklace that laid hidden beneath the gown.

Running a thumb along the cold surface of the blue crystal, your brows slightly furrowed. "I don't know if I like finally being able to understand him speaking LOVELESS." The wind faintly moved several long strands of hair around your face as you continued to thumb the necklace. "A somber morrow..." Fingers now wrapping around your beloved necklace, you reflected on Genesis bringing an end to his parents and the townspeople. The very thought never ceased to infuriate and sadden you whenever it popped into your head.

..._I really need to stop thinking about this. _Realizing you were grasping the necklace, you let your hand hesitantly drop back to your side. _The only thing that we're suppose to do is bring them back to Shinra._ With that final thought, and a last glance at the reactor, you turned around, facing the room once more. However, when you did turn, you realized how the back of the gown was tied which made you uneasy. Looking around the room for your things, you shivered as the breeze slipped between the openings of the fabric. "Where did they take my stuff?"

Moving to the door, you pulled it open and stuck your head out, looking down the hall for anyone. Seeing no one made you groan inwardly. All you wanted was your clothes and sword back, and now you had to go on a search for someone to either give or tell you where they were. And since this was your first time here, you had no idea where to go. Looking back over your shoulder to the room, you examined everything once more, praying that your eyes had decieved you in being unable to find any of your belongings. _Looks like I don't really have a choice, huh?_

Opening the door wider, you timidly stepped into the hall and glanced each way for a moment before deciding to go left. Keeping a hand behind to clasp the gown so it wouldn't show anything, you moved at a brisk pace. It wasn't like you had nothing on underneath, you had underwear of course, but still... it felt weird going around without pants. And shoes. Slowing to a stop once the end of the hall was reached, you peeked your head around the corner. Cautiously stepping out when no one else was in sight, you continued onward trying to go for a more quiet pace.

_Until I find someone, I can at least try working on being more stealthy... _You smiled lightheartedly at that. Moving as quickly and quietly down the hall as you could manage, you eventually made it to the end before stopping to glance each way. Still, no one was in sight. It was night time after all, but you were sure you could find at least one person to help you. Silently padding along the direction you were going, you gradually started getting lost in thought once again, to your dismay. Clenching your hand around the fabric tighter, you tried to focus on being stealthy instead. You couldn't let your thoughts get the best of you.

Hearing only the soft sound of your footsteps made the hospital seem eerie to you. It sort of reminded you of one of those zombie movies you saw with Zack. Surely you couldn't have been the only one moving through these halls at such a time of night. Or were you? _What time is it anyway? _Beginning to feel some more uneasiness, you looked behind you. _Ah, it was just a movie! Why am I letting something like that get to me? And Zack... how's he doing? _Looking back ahead, you continued onward.

When you made it to the end of the hall you pressed yourself against the wall, getting ready to glance down the only hall you could enter next, which lead to the left - but you quickly froze in place. The sound of footsteps approaching had caught your ear. Taking in a breath to ease the embarrassment the oncoming encounter would most likely create down, you slowly peeked around the corner. What you saw made your eyes filled with surprise. _Sephiroth!? _Hiding back around the corner completely, you leaned against the wall once more.

_Out of all the times to see him, I had to be wearing something so...? Ahh, why, Gaia, why!? _Your face took heat as you listened to him coming closer. At least until it suddenly got more... silent? Blinking in confusion, you cautiously peered back around the corner to see... nothing. Absolutely nothing. Although you did feel a small breeze behind you- _Ah, crap. _Well that settles it_._ As of this moment, if you were actually a ninja, you dubbed yourself as one of the most horrible. Not even ten minutes in your mission of stealth and you were already discovered without realizing it soon enough.

Looking over your shoulder, your expression soon showed nothing but sheer, utter confusion. No one was there either. Fully turning in the direction you just came from, you stared down the hall in silent question. _Did I actually see Sephiroth just now, or am I hallucinating?_ _I really thought he'd be behind me... maybe they gave me drugs or something while I was out. Or maybe... _Scenes from several horror movies flashed through your mind. "...I must be so out of it right now." You quietly laughed, "I'm sure he was here...?"

Once again eyeing the direction you came from, you failed to notice the silver warrior standing behind you. "Your vision has not decieved you." Jumping at the sound of his deep voice, you quickly turned back around to face him with a wince. That action made your side hurt. A faint smirk rested on his features as a trace of amusement flew across his eyes. This expression was brief, for it swiftly disappeared, becoming replaced with his normal look. Though this look held some sterness to it as he looked upon your injured form. "What are you doing up?"

Averting your gaze timidly from him, you moved both hands behind your back to grasp onto your gown. As you did this, you couldn't help but wonder if he was playing with you a moment ago. A little game along the lines of find-the-Sephiroth came to mind. If it wasn't for how awkward you felt being seen in such attire, you were sure you'd have laughed at the thought. "I wanted to find my, erm... stuff." After saying that, the feeling of being vulnerable increased tenfold. Just wearing the hospital clothes, and having no idea where your own clothes and sword were, was almost like the equivalent of being naked to you.

"You couldn't wait until morning to do so?" In response, you shook your head with a nervous smile. "I feel weird not knowing where my things are. And I... don't want to be here anymore." Then your thoughts upon awakening returned to you, and you looked up to him. Sensing that you had more to say, he remained silent, patiently waiting for you to speak. "Do you know how long I've been here for?" Sephiroth observed you for a few seconds more before briefly nodding his head.

"If you didn't wake up, tomorrow would have been your fourth day here." Shock was all you felt for the time being. "I was out for three days!?" He noted that you seemed to have said that more to yourself than you did to him, which was understandable. _No wonder why they sent me to the infirmary instead of the labs..._ Closing your eyes, you tried to calm yourself by taking a few slow breaths. "What about Zack? Is he okay?" The sounds of him shifting a bit were heard. "Zack had to get looked over for a few hours, but he's fine. Just left with some bruises and scrapes."

Hearing this managed to relax your heart rate. Giving a soft sigh of relief at the good news, you opened your eyes to see Sephiroth kneeling in front of you. "You on the other hand, however..." He carefully watched you with assessing eyes. "...I was told that you had broken two ribs." Removing a hand from your back, you rested it around your middle upon hearing the news. "How are you feeling?" Sephiroth and you made eye contact once more. "It still kind of hurts, but I feel alright. Nothing I can't handle." Half smiling, you slowly added, "I was wondering why I wasn't at the labs. I thought mako could heal anything, but I guess I was wrong?"

Sephiroth chuckled at those words, "Mako can only do so much, Mekina. Bone injuries are things that will always take time to heal, even with the help of mako." Nodding at that, you saved the newly acquired info in the back of your mind. "So they still put me on the mako..." At Sephiroth's nod, you lightly gave your side a squeeze. "It should still help you in the healing process. Somewhat, at least." You replied with a short hum in thought. Squeezing your side to test out how painful it would be had you reflecting on how you recieved the injury.

Feeling guilt make way to your chest, you lifted your gaze to the silver warrior's emerald hues. "Sephiroth?" Seeing your expression had him give you a quiet, inquiring one in return. "I'm sorry." After several seconds of silence had passed, he lowered his eyes. "Don't blame yourself for what happened. I should be the one giving the apologies." A mixture of emotions were in his eyes, the only ones you picked up on were remorse, betrayal, and... some anger. That was all you could decipher at the moment, but nevertheless, it still made you frown.

"If I didn't request for you and Zack to go in my stead, you would not have ended up like this." He stood up as he finished speaking. Your frown deepened. "I ended up like this because I'm still... so... weak." You cringed as you said the last part, ashamed of how you handled the mission, "This just means I need to train even harder." _Not to mention my mind wasn't completely there... I was torn when we confronted him. _"I wanted to be able to bring them both back. Zack and I... we thought we could do it. For you... and us. We still might be able to do it. I don't want to let you down again-"

"Let me down...?" He raised his head a bit to meet your gaze, which gave you another chance at seeing what emotion he held in his eyes. "Neither of you have let me down. I... just..." The SOLDIER's eyes softened the slightest bit as he gave you an apologetic look. The guilt doubled inside as you read his eyes while trying to see the situation from his perspective. You have never seen him like this before. It made you at a loss of words. Saying nothing more, you hesitantly drew closer to him. _If I was strong like you guys, would things have ended up differently? _Seeing him not make any movements away, when close enough, you wrapped your arms around his stomach in a comforting embrace. He was tense, you knew, but you still wanted to be there for your friend, if possible.

You noted how the top of your head nearly reached his chest as you tried not to mind the small chill that was beginning to go through the openings of the hospital clothes. Several seconds having already passed since the hug began, he was still rather rigid. Maybe because he was surprised someone decided to do such a thing to him? After a few more seconds of him remaining motionless had gone by, you eventually felt him snake a slow arm around you, gingerly... yet comfortingly. After a long moment, his hold tightened just the slightest bit. It was clear that he did not want to upset the injuries you had, and wasn't familiar with this kind of contact. It was almost as clear as it was that you both were trying to soothe the other as best as you knew how.

When some time had passed, you two pulled apart, and you noticed how he was examining you cautiously. Almost immediately, you understood why. With a reassuring smile, you broke the silence, "It doesn't hurt too badly, really." Sephiroth's lips faintly upturned, "I'm glad to hear that... although..." It seemed like he was going to say more, but closed his eyes, and lightly shook his head with a chuckle. "Let's get you your belongings back." Quickly grasping the back of the gown with both hands again, you nodded to him. He turned back down the hall he came from with you in tow.

...

Taking hold of the 2nd class uniform, you thanked the lady at the front desk. She was young, no older than her late teens or early twenties you assumed. "Even though you're getting this back now, we still can't let you go just yet. A few tests have to be run on you before you're free, and that will have to be done in the morning." She took a slight glance at Sephiroth every now and then as she spoke. "Then you'll be able to get your sword, and then you're good to go."

_Holding my sword hostage to keep me here, huh? _"Fair enough." You murmured with an amused look as you watched her eye Sephiroth. "I'll take you back to your room." He departed the room without another word. Keeping a hand around the back of the gown, you kept the other around your folded uniform. Holding it close to your stomach, you slightly bowed your head to her in goodbye before leaving after the silver SOLDIER.

After walking for several minutes, you finally returned to your room with Sephiroth. As you stepped inside, he glanced out the window, and you went over to the table to place your uniform on it. When done, you took a moment to look out the window as well. It had gotten more darker now. It looked to be as dark as Genesis' wing— eyes widening in memory, you looked back to the folded clothes. Raising them, you dug a hand in the pockets. Was it still there? After several seconds of searching, you ended up empty handed. Did someone take it? "Is something wrong?"

Letting the clothes slip from your fingers, you rested your hands on the table. Gaze carefully returning back to the sky, you felt Sephiroth's curious eyes on you. The silence continued for a short while longer. "Did you know Genesis has a wing?" Silence once again filled the room. Glancing at him from your shoulder, you saw how his brows furrowed in thought. "A... wing you say?" Nodding, you faced him as he continued in a low murmur. "How can that be?" His eyes were lowered to the floor. "I don't know how it's possible... but he kept saying how he and Angeal were monsters." Slowly, you added, "Maybe that's what he meant when he said that."

Continuing, you spoke up. "The wing was as long as this room, and was as dark as the sky." The SOLDIER locked eyes with you. "There really was only one?" Quickly, you nodded. "Which side was it on...?" Raising a hand, you gripped your left shoulder. "This one." Sephiroth's eyes narrowed in contemplation. "So it's the same shoulder where his injury was." As that was said, his gaze drifted to the window. "And the one who was suppose to cure that ends up taking his leave from the company as well..." These words caught you off guard. You knew who he spoke of, but had no idea that he was gone. "Hollander... he left?" _Since when?_ "He left when Genesis deserted." Brows furrowing, you glanced to the side, "I see." _Why is it that I'm just finding out about this now?_

Sephiroth watched you quietly for a while. "I'm a little surprised that you didn't know, but knowing ShinRa and their methods on letting SOLDIER's in on intel..." A trace of sarcasm was laced in his voice as he mentioned the company, "Even for 1st class, they keep certain things hidden from us." Solemnly, you sighed, "I didn't think they would do that with you, out of all people." With a shake of his head, long strands of hair softly shook either side, "It's always been in their nature to do such methods." Looking back to him, a curious light emitted from your eyes. "So you know most of what happened on the mission?" He nodded. "Lazard informed me of the main details. Although I had yet to hear about the wing." You made a short humming sound as you pictured the large, feathery appendage once more.

"It was so... huge... before he left, I even got a feather." This made Sephiroth raise a brow, "You took a feather?" Realizing how that sounded, you quickly left your haze. "When he brought the wing out, feathers kept falling from everywhere— and then he said 'we have neither dreams nor honor' before just flying away!" He listened attentively. "I would show it to you, but I kind of... lost it..." Seeing how you deflated a bit, the SOLDIER briefly paused before walking over to you. "It... can't be that far gone." Lifting a gloved hand, Sephiroth placed it on your head, "Thank you for telling me this." A slow, faint smile began to show from the reassuring contact. "Anytime, Sephiroth." Fingers barely curling, he briefly ruffled your hair in silent thanks before drawing back.

"You should rest now." With a hardly audible sigh, you inwardly complied for the most part. Slowly taking a few steps toward the bed, you stopped before glancing at him. "Do I have to...?" He fixed you with a stern look that caused you to do as he said. As he moved to leave the room, you quietly called to him, "Night, Seph." He sighed at the nickname, but unknowingly had the ghost of a smile on his features. "Good night, Mekina." The 1st then took his leave, and quietly shut the door behind him. Averting your eyes from the door to the gently swaying curtains, you found yourself feeling somewhat more relaxed after speaking with Sephiroth. Gingerly shifting your position to your side, you looked out the window as you tried to capture sleep even though you were a little more than fully awake.


	33. Chapter 33

**It really seems like the months are just going on by in a blur... hello everyone, once again it's been a while, no? As I mentioned in the last chapter, I was nervous about releasing this part... and still am for certain reasons, but here you go. I hope it interests some of you. Thank you for the reviews, Ryder, I'm glad you loved the moment between Seph and Mekina! *bows deeply to you and gives a comet materia* :D**

**This music on youtube helped me envision the beginning of the chapter 'Spring Charm by Adrian von Ziegler'. If you do give it a try, I hope you enjoy his music :) (mainly listened to 11:10 and up as I wrote this part)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my OC, Mekina.**

* * *

><p>Standing in an open field of grass, your expression was nothing short of awestruck. Ahead, everything seemed to reach as far as the eye could see, greenery stretching about in all places. The grass almost reached to your knees, and was swaying with a cool, light breeze. It looked to be traveling in constant, gentle waves as it softly tickled your skin with each movement, each caress it made. Overhead, the heavens were of the deepest blues you had seen yet. The sun casted the most brilliant shades of light upon the meadow, adding to the wave effect more than you could have ever imagined was possible. With each sway of grass, the glow of gold seemed to become intertwined with the sea of green.<p>

As you took in the sight, no cares, worries, or troubles made themselves known. All of the burdens and pains of your waking life were nonexistent, and were all but forgotten about in this beautiful place; cast away, only to be dealt with in another time. A time that seemed to be nothing more than far away from here as a hazy, forgotten memory. You felt at peace here. Happy, even. Truly, happy. Moving forward, you reveled in this bliss, and looked about, being sure to remember every piece you could see, feel, smell... You took in a breath of the pleasant, faint scent of the few wild flowers resting here and there. Lowering down somewhat, you held out a hand to touch the greenery and smiled softly as you did so. Such a bloom as this was rare to see. Seeing the pale blue bud only increased the desire to stay here for all eternity.

Behind you, the sound of sweet whispers made way to your ears, attracting your attention. It seemed like some kind of melody to you. It was so... comforting. Raising yourself upright, you turned to the side to look back in wonder. Your gaze now laid on a forest that had a gentle glow emitting from the trees. Walking to an opening of the brush, you went inside curiously, looking around with an excited vibe, just as a child would have in unfamiliar territory. The trees were of a more pale, light color than most forests were, making it very surreal. Rays of sunlight traveled through the roof of the forest, breaking through the multitude of leaves to bring that golden glow you loved to the floor of Gaia— or wherever you were.

The whispers had yet to cease as you soaked in the environment. Following the soothing sounds, you watched above as the leaves rustled faintly in the breeze, creating a series of light rays that shined down, moving constantly as you ventured along the path you made. Even though you were alone, and hadn't found what was making the sounds yet, you didn't really feel alone. At least not completely. It was hard to grasp, and honestly was something that you couldn't help but to ponder about. Now that you really thought about it, you knew it wasn't the first time you felt such a way.

Whenever you were in nature, peace had always quickly filled your being to a rather large extent; managing to temporarily calm any nerves and pains you had— whether they were emotional or physical, you were always able to find some form of solace from mother nature. But in this place, as you enveloped yourself deeper and deeper into the brush and greenery, those feelings of comfort were incredibly heightened. The security you were feeling had you think back to your adoptive mother— to when you would watch the setting skies from her lap, surrounded in her warm, loving embrace as she occasionally cooed tender words of affection to you.

At the memory, your eyes absentmindedly drifted to the roof of the forest, taking in the soft glow passing through the openings of the leaves. Slowly pausing in step, you soon let your eyes close upon feeling more air flow around you. And then you began to wonder. _Even then, was I ever really alone? All those years ago...?_ Even though you had no more baggage here, you did remember it all with ease. Growing up with mostly your only way of comfort being found in nature, it did get lonely sometimes, and you often wondered why things turned out the way they did. But here... here, you felt as though you had completely come to terms with it. A serene voice then spoke behind you.

"It's so pretty. Isn't it?"

Keeping your back to the person, you glanced around the forest. "Very. It's so entrancing..." The girl giggled at your response. "Yes, it's... mesmerizing. Is this your first time here?" Holding your hands behind your back, you smiled. "Is it really that obvious? How could you tell?" Inwardly, a small part of you was surprised to find yourself not alarmed by the sudden conversation arising. Even now, you still felt completely at peace. The mysterious girl laughed again. "The first time you spoke, it sounded like you were lost in a dream." Smile increasing, you responded with a slight laugh as well before looking either side, observing more of the area. "I guess you could say that..." Shifting your eyes back above, you carefully watched the leaves continue to move, "Is this your first time here too?"

She replied with a soft hum and a nod, "I've sort of been somewhere like this place before, but that place had a huge field filled of flowers! Although... this is the first time I've met someone like this." Even though you weren't looking at her, you could tell there was a cheerful smile on her face from the tone she used. "Lots of flowers, huh? That sounds so nice. I'd like to go there sometime." Lowering your gaze, you happily watched the scenery in front of you, "And you are the first person I've met here too! But, um— you seem like you're... are you—" She easily caught onto what you were saying. "Real? Of course! I'm... just like you." You blinked.

Now if only you could catch onto _her _words. "Sorry..." You then added, after a small moment of thought, "Now I just wonder if this place is real? I hope it is. I wish it is." The girl giggled again, "I'm sure it exists somewhere. In fact, I'm positive it is real. You and I are real, meeting at a place like this... it is real. At least to us, it is." Her words and reason gave you more peace of mind. "Yeah... two real people in a place that wasn't real sounds a bit silly, doesn't it? A place like this... has to exist." You said with a nod. The girl smiled, nodding her head as well. "And I'm sure this won't be our last time here. Also, about that place with the flowers... I would love to show them to you someday."

Her kindness made your smile soften all the more, "I would really love that. Where I live, there aren't much flowers around. They're actually really rare, I think." This seemed to interest her. "Oh? Where I live it's hard to find and grow them too... but I've actually managed to find a place, and now I take care of them." This surprised you a bit. "I even took some up to grow around my house!" She continued cheerfully as you once again repeated in a distant, but gentle, tone, "I would like to see that someday..." She gave a soft, short hum again, "I'll show you one day. I promise!"

This girl... you didn't know why, but it was so easy to talk to her. The feeling she exuded felt so warm and welcoming. You definitely wanted to meet her again. A wind picked up, passing by the two of you. As this happened, the calming whispers you had been following earlier came by, quietly being carried with the wind. It was comforting, like an embrace would be, as it drifted by and around you. It was just like that embrace you always had from your mother when she was alive. You knew, when everything was over, you would be reunited with both your adoptive and birth parents, but until then...

Looking up once more, you watched the sun's rays dance lightly between the leaves. Quietly staring at the ambient glow, your vision began to blur. Your guard was let down entirely in this beautiful, surreal place. And you were oddly okay with that. The girl and you stilled to listen for who knows how long, completely intuned with your surroundings. You finally replied quietly, "I'm looking forward to it." Needless to say, the answer held a double meaning. She then spoke in a tone one would use with a child. "But first... you'll have to get better soon. Okay?" Normally, these words coming from a stranger would have taken you aback, but you found yourself nodding your head. "I promise. And it's alright... I'll be fine now."

Head turning to the side, you peered at her from over your shoulder. She had her back still turned to you, but after several long seconds had passed, as though she knew you were watching her, she glanced at you. Blue eyes met with a beautiful pair of green and a kind smile. Returning the expression, you both hardly had enough time to examine the others features for any more than a few seconds further before everything brightened, fading away into a coat of white. Even though you didn't see much of her, the meeting, and the entire place even, had left a deep impression upon you. And those few seconds... were more than enough to remember her face.

Coming back to reality, eyes met with the white of the ceiling. Laying still, you let everything you just experienced consume you. Replaying the scenery and meeting had brought one of the most tranquil, happy expressions to display on your features. You never wanted to forget it. It felt so real, you were sure it had to be. The girl's serene eyes still had yet to leave your mind. At the corner of your eye, the curtains were still swaying lightly in the breeze, just as they did before you fell asleep. A part of you wondered if this wind had something to do with the dream? You truly felt some kind of connection going on.

_Even now, it feels like..._ closing your eyes, you listened intently. It was as though the wind was still carrying that soft whisper. _Like some kind of message..._ A knowing smile made way to you. She was a ways away... but was close. You were sure of it. In reality, with these arising situations concerning the desertion, there were very few things you were sure about. This experience was one of those few you were sure of. Thinking back to the short, blissful time, you gazed out the window. In your eyes, that dream was like a touch of heaven. A touch of eternal happiness. _I can't remember the last time I felt so light. _Now, you gradually began to feel the opposite as reality began to seep back deeper into your mind and being.

_Well, _you puffed out a quiet breath, _If I want that feeling again, I can't just lay around like this... I know I can be of some use... at least a little bit. _Even after the thought, you remained motionless; captured by the wonderful dream. Once more, you listened to the faintest traces of the sounds within the breeze. Though, as you did so, the sound of heels clacking against the hard floor outside your room steadily grew louder. A pair of voices were heard to go along with them, disrupting your peace of mind. "-has yet to recover. I don't care if she's 'enhanced', she's still a human. And could still be considered a child, at that." Another voice joined in. "I understand what you're saying and I feel the same way, but— the professor wants to take a look at her. We can't refuse him, Adelle."

When the first voice you heard said 'enhanced' you could almost feel the annoyance she had radiating off of her. But thanks to those enhancements of yours, you caught onto an irritated sigh. "Not to mention she wants to leave here too. And I don't blame her. Though I sure as hell know that she doesn't want to get released from this place only to get stuck with that sick man." They seemed to stop some distance away from your room— most likely because they didn't want to disturb you if you were still resting. At this point, you knew they were talking about you, and you deeply wished that they weren't. You agreed with the woman, you definitely did not want to go see Hojo after this. He would just do the usual SOLDIER check-up, which you disliked.

"She would only have to be with him for a little while, then she'll be free of him for the time being." You prayed that the other unnamed woman was right. "'For the time being'..." The woman named Adelle scoffed before lowering her voice. "That vile thing has become fascinated with a couple of new theories lately and wants to get some more specimen to test on. He would love to get his hands on just about anything that entered his labs." The other tried to hush her. "Adelle! You shouldn't speak so openly about this kind of thing... and if you feel so strongly about this, then why don't you check up on her later?" Adelle went silent, considering the other woman's words, thoughtfully. She then murmured, "I just might..."

The sound of heels against the floor once again echoed in the hall, and when a few seconds had passed, the door opened. You briefly wondered if you should just quickly close your eyes to feign sleep, but chose to keep them open. Glancing at the door, you expected to see both of them enter, but only watched one step into the room. "So you're already awake? That's good." Matching the voice to the face, you looked to the one named Adelle. She had long, dirty blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail and had light blue hues behind red glasses. She wore a white doctors coat and was carrying a clipboard in hand. "Yeah... I've been up for a few minutes now."

"Oh? How is your body treating you so far?" Adelle walked further into the room and stopped at your bedside. "It's doing okay. Doesn't hurt as badly as I thought it would, though..." You sat up to prove your point, although doing this did sort of hurt, you made no signs showing that it had. She watched you with sharp, assessing eyes, "Is that so? Well then," Blue eyes shifting to her clipboard, she continued, "I am Doctor Adelle, and I'll be running small tests on you to see if you're as okay as you say you are. Are you ready to begin, Mekina?" Hearing your name had you blink in surprise, but you didn't pay it much thought. Looking back to you, she watched you nod to her. "Good. Now sit up a bit more straighter for me."

Instantly obeying, you felt her place her hands along your ribcage. Her brows furrowed when her careful hands ran over a raised area. "You'll have to take that off for a minute." Adelle was referring to the hospital gown. You hesitantly complied, feeling nervous about the entire experience. After getting the cloth off, you lifted your top to show her a more closer look. Examining yourself as well, your breath hitched the moment you laid eyes on the giant purple bruise at your side. You could only imagine how your back was doing since you mostly landed on that part in the fight.

Her hands lightly ran over the injury, bringing chills through you. "Turn around." Doing as she said, you pulled your hair over a shoulder and felt your top become raised even further. At this point, you could only be glad that the infirmary had the decency to send in a female doctor to look over you. "How bad is it?" You timidly asked. She didn't respond right away. "It looks horrible." Fear made itself greatly apparent to you. "But if you were able to walk to the front desk from here, then it would be hard to tell that you even had an injury like this to begin with." Your tense body eased down, somewhat. She then added, "I was told you did that last night."

Adelle pulled back down your top before taking a few notes on her clipboard. Hearing the sounds of pen marking paper, you turned back around to look at her. "The woman at the front even said she wouldn't have known you were hurt if it wasn't for that gown." The doctor's words made you relax greatly. "So does that mean I'm free to go...?" She chuckled at the faint, hopeful tone you had, and shook her head. "Not that easily. I still have a couple more things to do before I feel comfortable in letting you go." The sound of pen against paper briefly slowed down, "Because when you do get out of here, Hojo would like to see you. I would rather him try something like this when you're in better condition, but he seems rather adamant about this 'check up'."

The pen finally ceased in its movements and she fell silent. She soon decided to give a word of warning. "Supposedly he was muttering about testing something on injured SOLDIERs. Most likely trying to find a way to make them more enhanced, I bet." _Well that makes sense. _"A test on injured SOLDIERs, huh? I actually remember him saying something about me always getting hurt. So I get why he would want to use me in a thing like this." Frowning in distaste, you continued, fists gradually clenching tighter as the words left your lips. "He probably thinks I'll keep getting into situations and have to go to him for mako treatments because I'm thought of as some weak girl. And then he'll do the test, or whatever." You spat, eyes narrowing in anger at the bed sheets over your lap.

"Try not to let it get to you. That man enjoys bringing the worst out of people." Hearing this, your fingers twitched slightly. As you took in those words, you felt soft caresses of wind against your skin. Thinking back to the dream, your fuming level gradually began to decrease. Adelle noticed you relax and stayed quiet for a moment. "Well, Mekina, if you get harmed like this anymore, then you'll end up here again. If your injuries were minor, then you would go to him, but since they're of the more serious kind, I do understand why he would want to try it out on you. Although..." With her head lowered to the paper, blue hues glanced over the rim of her glasses at you.

"Even though I said your injuries were horrible, they aren't anywhere near as bad as they were when you first got here. In all honesty, you're healing fast. Faster than SOLDIER's usually do." Her words made you feel some more peace of mind as well as silent question. Fingers finally untangling themselves from the sheets, you tilted your head a bit to peer at her, brows faintly lowered to show your confusion. "Why is that?" She lifted her head up to normal height, both of your eyes locking to the others. "I'm not really sure. Perhaps that's why he wants to see you."

On that note, Adelle decided it was time to finish running her own check up on you. Nearly ten minutes later, and she was jotting down the last of how your body handled the physical part of her test. Before she started writing again, she had you take some medicine to relieve any pain given during the check up. "Bleh!" Sticking out your tongue, you squeezed your eyes shut at the bitterness of the red, gooey liquid. She smiled, never slowing down the pace of her writing, "It tastes bad because it works. Just give it a few more minutes, then you'll see." Not wanting your tongue back in your mouth, you kept it out and turned to her, sticking it further out. Without even looking at you, she lifted her pen to poke at your tongue, catching you off guard.

"Blegh!"

Hearing this caused Adelle to chuckle to herself. "I see being with SOLDIER hasn't taken away your childishness. Which is good..." She finally looked to you, and watched as you had a hand to your mouth, smile on your face. "But then, your records show that you haven't been here for long... as I'm sure you know upon joining, there will be tough times ahead that you, as well as your comrades, will go through. Don't let those moments shape you into a... how should I say it? A cold, emotionless person. As you progress further, you may make friends... and sometimes they won't make it." She leaned back in her seat and glanced to the ceiling as if recalling a memory.

"In my time as a doctor, I've seen how men handle losing their friends, and it completely shatters some of them. And sometimes, it doesn't. If that ever happens to you, try not to let it get to you too hard." You gave her a curious look as you quietly listened to her speak. "Being a SOLDIER will shape your personality, regardless, don't get me wrong. It's just... ah... there I go, rambling again... You'll have to excuse me for that. It's something that I need to work on..." With a faint smile, she shook her head upon catching herself in the act.

As she did so, you continued to stay silent, taking in her words. _She sounds like she's actually worried about me... _A warmth grew in your chest at the thought of her trying to give you advice. After a couple more seconds of her thinking, she spoke carefully. "Well, what I'm trying to say is... when that happens, don't lose yourself. The same goes for when the training gets even harder." You nodded to her. "I understand. I'll try not to let anything difficult I go through..." The memory of Angeal and Genesis departing flashed in your mind, drawing you to a pause. "...Change me."

Adelle returned her gaze to yours, the corners of her lips upturned, "Good... with this finish, your check up is complete." You mirrored her expression, "One down, one more to go." _And another step closer to being able to find them. _"Thank you, Doctor Adelle." Standing up with her clipboard, she nodded to you. "Don't mention it. And you can just call me Adelle. I'll be checking on you later to see how your other check up with Hojo faired."

"There won't be any need for that."

Visibly jumping at the voice, both of your heads turned to the person standing in the doorway. "May I ask why, Sephiroth?" Adelle raised a brow at him as you curiously stared at him. "Lazard wishes to see her when she is released." Your eyes lit up and Adelle's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. "Does Hojo know about this?" As she spoke, Sephiroth took a few steps further into the room. "He should. However, if he doesn't, then it won't be long until he becomes aware of the change." The leather clad man then turned to look at you, "How did her check up go?" Adelle glanced at you as well. "It went well. Her recovery is doing exceptionally good too. It's rather surprising, actually..."

As they spoke, you felt somewhat awkward, what with them just talking about you and all as if you weren't there. Adelle smirked, "That disgusting thing is going to be irritated about this." Sephiroth couldn't help but lift an amused brow at her words. "Indeed he is." Deciding to speak, you looked to Adelle, "So how much longer until I'm completely better?" She pondered for a moment, crossing her arms. "In your case, I think it's safe to assume that you'll have up to two weeks at most. Maybe even sooner." Adelle then added, "Though I still think it's too early for you to go on a mission, that option's better than being near Hojo, so... you're free to go, Mekina."

"Oh yeah!" You cheered, punching a fist into the air. The day was off to a good start so far! You had an awesome dream, passed your check up, escaped Hojo, made a new acquaintance, and now get to go see Lazard for some kind of mission. At least, that was what you hoped it was. Sephiroth and Adelle had left the room so you could change into your uniform. Glancing at the door knob, you untied the hospital gown and dropped it on the bed. Getting up, you took this moment to examine the rest of your body. Some bruises were here and there... but you were kind of use to the sight, so it didn't really alarm you. The only thing that sort of got to you was your side.

_And when I get my hands on a mirror, maybe my back will freak me out too, _you mused, carefully twisting around each side to stretch your back. Feeling and hearing it pop a couple of times had you release a relieved sigh before rolling your shoulders back with a wince. Gaia, your muscles were tense. When done stretching, you finally put on your uniform, which took no more than two minutes. Running your fingers through your hair, you walked to the door, trying to fix it as best as you could. Resting a hand along the knob, you took in a breath. Once the door was opened, you would refuse to show even the slightest bit of pain or discomfort.

Holding your head high and standing up straight, you turned the knob and stepped out of the room. Upon entering the hall, you watched as Adelle and Sephiroth's attention was drawn to you. The 1st quietly examined you walking to them, "Ready to go?" Stopping in front of them, you nodded to him, then glanced to Adelle. You lightly smiled. "Thanks for taking care of me. And giving advice..." She returned the kind expression. "Don't mention it. Just becareful out there, alright? It would suck having to come back here right after being released." Nodding to her, you replied, "Got it. And yeah, but... better here than the labs. You guys actually have beds instead of mako tubes." You joked, causing her to chuckle. "Well... it was nice meeting you, Adelle."

"Likewise, Mekina. It was a pleasure." Exchanging one last smile with the other, you soon turned to go down the hall with Sephiroth. Before you got too far away though, she spoke a couple last words of parting, "Remember to try and keep a calm head. And don't let that pathetic creature in the labs get under your skin. Seeing anyone negatively react amuses him to no end. It's something he thrives off of." _Thrives off of...? _"So he's like a leech?" You asked, glancing back at her with an amused expression. She grinned, nodding. "Yes, a leech." Sephiroth joined in, "And a walking mass of complexes..." Adelle and you snickered at those words.

Bidding her another farewell, you continued down the hall with Sephiroth. Upon leaving the infirmary, with sword and PHS back on your person, you headed straight for Lazard's office. Just what exactly would this meeting bring? You could only hope that it, in fact, was a mission regarding the desertion. But what if it wasn't? You quietly pondered over this. It had only been three, no— four days since Angeal and Genesis were spotted, as far as you knew. Perhaps, by chance while you were recovering, they had swiftly found new information on their whereabouts. The very thought gave you somewhat of a light feeling inside. Of course, this was nothing but a mere false sense of reassurance.

And soon, you'd learn that when things came to matters such as these, it was all nothing more than wishful thinking.

...

"Huh... I guess it was stupid to think that, wasn't it?" You spoke in a soft murmur, eyes fixed to the floor of the office. Lazard had his eyes closed as he regarded you, chin resting over his clasped hands, thoughtfully. He was silent for a while. "Some may believe such ways of thinking are indeed foolish." Leaning against his desk with his elbows, he then added, "Of course, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic. However, there is a fine line between being an optimist and delusional, which should always be carefully treaded upon." You slightly winced at that word. Were you becoming delusional? And if you weren't yet, were you on the way to becoming so?

"So what do you think the odds of them coming back are, director?" Said man remained quiet for a moment. "I can't really say. The odds of Angeal returning are still possible, I believe. It's difficult to picture the heart of SOLDIER letting go of his morals so easily, even if he has deserted. Whereas Genesis... he's always been a man hard to read. And if you try reading between the lines..." With a smile, you finished the sentence, head shaking lightly to either side, "Even then, he's still so difficult. Believe me, I've tried so many times!" Lazard looked to you with a chuckle. "Quite a bit of people have tried... majority of them failing." Your smile lessened faintly upon hearing this.

"Well... I guess when it comes to Angeal, we actually still do have a chance?" Lazard held his gaze with yours, "It is possible, but try not to take my words too deeply. They are merely an opinion on the matter, after all." Firmly, you nodded to him, "Understood, sir." He smiled. "Good. Now onto the reason for you being here." Adjusting your position, you stood at attention. "We've received intel on a new appearance of monsters in the North Continent. For this assignment, I plan to have one SOLDIER operative investigate the area." _One SOLDIER operative? So I'm going alone!? And right after getting released from the infirmary!? ...Are they serious? _Your spirits gradually began to rise.

Maybe the people in charge thought you improved in strength. _What if this means I'm a step closer to becoming 1st, even though I did get knocked out on that last mission? _You grimly joked with yourself before tuning back into the briefing."—sent to the Bone village. Some of the residents claimed to have spotted a couple of monsters as they were digging, making them put everything to a hault in fright. I'm counting on you to take care of this and investigate the surrounding area. Are you up for the task, 2nd Class SOLDIER, Mekina? Or would you like some more time to recover? You seem a little dazed." You blinked. "N-No, I'm up for it, sir! I'm just surprised that I'm going alone—"

"—so soon after what happened?" After watching you tersely nod, he then added, "It's understandable. Just be sure not to slip into a daze while you're there. I believe you're a good fit for this task..." Feeling a spark of confidence fill your chest at those words, you stood up straighter, head held high. "Thank you, sir!" At this time, as you looked Lazard in the eye, you noticed a mixture of emotions he was holding. The feeling received from this look was of both half and half nature, both good and bad. You didn't know what to make of it. But you did know that the dark part of his gaze was not meant for you. It was as if he was looking right through you to someone afar. He gave a solemn smile. "Once you're ready, you are to leave immediately. And be sure to pack something warm. Good luck, SOLDIER."

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><p><em>"So there is love in there... but loveless? Does one of them die?" Genesis smiled at your curiosity. "I'll leave that for you to find out on your own."<em>


	34. Chapter 34

**Hello my lovely readers... sorry for disappearing and not replying to much this past half year. I will try to remedy this and respond soon. Ventus Dominae, UltraVioletSoul, Pink Pencil HB, Rockgoddess, Turk 4 Life, thank you all so much for the support, it truly does mean a lot me... *bows deeply***

**I wanted to make this longer, but I also wanted to get this out before the year ended. And after looking it over and adding a few final touches to it, I feel it's finally ready to be seen. Originally, it wasn't planned to end where it had (I wanted this to be much more longer than it is), but I think I mentioned before we would spend one or two chapters with Mekina, so... it's okay, I guess. **

**I'm glad to see this year coming to an end, and can only hope that next year has more ups than it does downs.**

**Thank you all for bearing with me. I know I've said this earlier and in the past, but it really is appreciated.**

**This will be my gift to each of you readers. There might even be a little something else soon ;)**

**Merry Christmas everyone **

* * *

><p>After being dispatched near the destination, you moved along a dirt path presumed to lead to the village, boots making light crunching sounds with each step. When a sudden gust of cold air blew by, you tensed, beginning to faintly shiver. In only a mere five minutes or so more of enduring this, you arrived at the Bone village. Giving the area a look over, you carefully took what you could in.<p>

The village was rather small, in your opinion. At a first glance, you only saw several surpisingly large fossils of creatures long past their days, resting here and there. With a closer look, however, you soon discovered that they were actually used as stores and homes for the townspeople. Never seeing anything of the like before, you were intrigued.

"Like what you see, kid?"

Slightly jumping, you quickly looked to the cause of the voice. It was a man that looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. The first thing you noticed was the helmet atop his dark hair, then the pleased look he wore. It then occured to you that you may have been gawking openly at the new sights that laid before you. Holding your hands behind your back awkwardly, you nodded to him.

"Yeah. Guess it's pretty obvious, huh?"

He nodded as well, and eyed your attire as he spoke. "More or less, but it's not a reaction out of the ordinary. So you're the one they decided to send, eh? I'll take you to the head man inside, then after that, you can take a closer look at everything if you want." With a hand on his hip, the man turned a bit, still looking at you. He then held out a hand, "The name's Joe by the way."

Straightening up, you firmly took his hand, "Mekina, 2nd class SOLDIER."

His eyebrows raised in interest at the title as you both shook hands. "2nd class SOLDIER? That's quite a feat. Probably should think twice about calling you a kid then..." Joe chuckled before turning around, heading over to a ladder a little distance away. His words made you smile. That was the first time you got a reaction like that from someone just by saying your rank.

After climbing the ladder, a pale green tent with a giant skull as the roof was in sight. You didn't know what the creature was, but it had long tusks on either side of the entryway to the tent. Following Joe inside, you saw a bed to the left and a desk straight ahead with an elderly man standing behind it. Stroking his white beard with a hand, his dark eyes scanned a paper in front of him.

"Hey Darius, SOLDIER showed up." Upon hearing the approach, the man glanced from the paper to Joe, then to you. Seemingly taken slightly aback, he quietly blinked at you. Placing the parchment to the desk alongside many other papers and a helmet, he then moved around his desk to better regard you.

"So they have, have they?" The man, Darius, looked you up and down, his brows furrowing in what may have been concern and doubt. "They only sent one? And a girl at that..." He brought a hand back up to his beard to stroke before his eyes shifted over to Joe's who only shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, she's the only one. Would've sent another or two if they saw what we did..." Joe muttered with a shake of his head.

Looking to them both, you began to wonder just how horrid these creatures were, but tried not to let your imagination get to you. The Director thought you were a good fit for this task and knowing this gave you just the boost of encouragement you needed. Coming back to the situation at hand, you briefly closed your eyes, holding back a sigh. Once again, you ran into someone who doubted your abilities.

"I know I don't look like much, but I can assure you, I'll protect this village no matter the cos-"

"One so young shouldn't say such things. I mean no offense, but what bothers me is that they have nerve enough to send a child to deal with those monsters..." _Oh... he's actually worried about me...? Someone else is... worried about me... _It always took you by surprise to know that people can actually care about someone they have never met before. Especially if that someone was you. Right now, Darius had a hand to his temple as he shook his head in disbelief, murmuring to himself.

"Not to mention, they only sent one..."

Holding your arms around your middle, you slowly walked closer to him. "Is there anyway that I can assure you that I can take care of everything? I did come all the way here to protect you guys..." Pausing in thought, you silently observed him. He seemed like a gentle person. _Maybe if I open up a bit, he'll feel more comfortable about this. _You didn't know why, but your intuition was telling you to do so. And with a hesitant start, you soon began speaking.

"...For years, I got by from doing things like this. Before I joined SOLDIER."

This got his and Joe's attention.

"My parents died when I was little, so doing things like this is how I got by in life. Fighting is really the only thing I know how to do..." You said slowly before trailing off, realizing just how true those words were. Well, fighting and stealing were the only things you knew, but still... that last one could be left out. You don't do it anymore.

"Then when I got old enough, I joined SOLDIER, so they take care of me now." Despite what you were feeling, you gave a small smile to the elder. "I'm nowhere near being the greatest fighter, but I can at least say that I know how to hold my own in battle." You then lowered your head to him, "I would be honored to keep this village safe."

It was silent for a while before you felt a weight against your shoulder. Looking up, your eyes met with the elder's. His gaze was one of warmth. "You may not be the greatest fighter... but I feel like there's something about you that will eventually lead to greatness." Feeling some heat around your cheeks from his words, you smiled at him. He patted your shoulder.

"Someday, you might even become one of the greatest, and when that time comes, don't lose that humbleness. A warrior should always be humble." Seeing you nod, he released your shoulder. He then turned away, quickly wiping his eyes with a wrist, shocking you. Did you make him cry...?

As if knowing what you were thinking, before you could say anything, he spoke, "Ah, I'm fine, child. You just reminded me of my son, is all." You didn't really know what to say to that, believing his son to have died. Choosing your words carefully, you slightly tightened your arms around yourself.

"Was he in SOLDIER too?" He nodded.

"Yes, he is." _Is? So he's still alive, _you relaxed. "He's a 2nd class now."

So that's why he was sad. He missed his son.

As the conversation continued, in the back of your mind, you found yourself thinking about how nice it must be to have parents that worry about your well being when your off to battle. "Oh really?" You grinned, "We're the same then. Maybe I've met him... what's his name?" Darius looked back to you, the beginning of a small, tiny smile appearing on his face.

"Well this is surprising. It's very likely you have met then, isn't it? The lad's name is Takamo. Has brown hair, about this tall..."

Well this was an unexpected turn of events. Your eyes widened in shock, "You're Takamo's father!?" The sudden surge of emotion was passed onto the elder. A happy, relieved smile fully took on his form.

"So you do know my son!"

"Yes, he was the first friend I made when I got there!" You bounced happily. Even Joe, who had remained quiet this whole time, was blown away.

With a chuckle, he grinned, "So you know little Takamo? This really is quite the surprise! How is he doing so far?"

"Last time I saw him he was doing well, and that was a few weeks back. He's probably out on a mission now, too, either that or training." They both nodded in understanding, smiles gradually lessening when the mission at hand came back to mind. Joe distantly sighed, but still kept the smile on his face.

"It's good to know the kid's alright. I'll go leave you two to talk some more." And with that, joe left the tent.

Darius, with a reminiscent smile, clasped his hands behind his back. "I suppose we should go back to discussing more serious matters. We'll have enough time to talk about other things later." He then paused, and blinked once, then twice. Then he looked at you. "My apologies, I have yet to know your name." The way he said all of this had you burst out laughing.

"It's Mekina, sir..." You said through a fit of giggles. He smiled, shaking your hand.

"And I am Darius. It's a pleasure, young lady."

...

Sitting atop the cliff that overlooked the whole village, you let your eyes carefully take in as much detail as you could. Taking a short moment to look at the time on your PHS, you slipped the device out of your pocket. 3:32 pm. Putting it back in, your eyes casted back to the town. Your plan was to stay in this position for a while longer, then switch to another area for a bit before moving on to the next place.

During the small briefing with Darius, he told you that the monsters started appearing around the evening hours. So unless something happened anytime soon, you still had quite the wait to go, which you were kind of okay with. After all, you could still use as much time as you could to heal, seeing as you did break two ribs. _Even if they're healing faster than normal, it still hurts... but being here is definitely better than being with Hojo, _you snickered a little. _Even so, it's going to happen eventually..._

Knowing that it was inevitable kind of made you downcast and a bit nervous. Wanting to think about something else, your mind quickly wandered to the newest discovery of meeting Takamo's dad. It only happened a few hours ago, and it never failed to make you happy when you thought about it. An event like this could be used as a positive distraction when times got tough.

Getting to your feet, you smiled. _I can't wait to tell Takamo about this! _Glancing around you for anything out of the ordinary, your glowing hues swiftly passed over the opening to the forest behind you. It reminded you of that lovely dream of yours, which only made you all the more happier. When you turned to head for the ladder, that was when a soft gust of wind blew past you, bringing you to a sudden, immediate hault.

This wasn't an ordinary breeze.

Slowly, you turned your head back, looking over a shoulder to the trees. Turning back fully, you stared at the trees swaying gently in the wind, watching as the leaves shook lightly, invitingly at you. It felt like something was tugging at you internally_. _The feeling you gathered was otherworldly. With eyes full of curiousity and intrigue, you willed yourself to go no further that way. Forcing yourself to go in the direction you originally planned on, you ignored the ladder and quickly jumped off the ledge, landing on the lower level with a wince.

_Crap... _ You had gotten so enchanted, you forgot about your current status.

Shrugging off the slight pain, you rose to your feet, making way to the next location, and with Angeal and Genesis in mind, you wondered how it must be like to have Shinra hunting you down. With a small, hopeful prayer for as much of an alright turnout that could happen after such circumstances, upon reaching the next position, you looked over the area for a long moment. Letting several minutes of this pass by, when you felt it safe enough, you casually pulled out your PHS.

It had been a while since you last took a look at the messages, and you were saving them for a time like this. Having already done a few guard missions in the past half a year or so now, you knew how boring they could be before the fighting occurred. That is to say there would be some action, of course...

With eyes wandering over the screen, you went to the mail tab and blinked at the amount of new things to read. _Looks like a lot has happened when I was out... It'll take a while to catch up on things. _You had mail from Zack, Takamo, Kunsel, quite a bit of Shinra news, and some stuff concerning SOLDIER. Already knowing what most of the messages your friends sent were saying, you still couldn't hold back the smile as you read through them.

Having friends that cared like this never ceased to give you a warmth that was becoming all the more familiar to carry.

The first set of messages were them worrying about your wellbeing and hoping to see you soon, then just this morning, another few were sent your way. Apparently, learning that you were already on a mission after being discharged so soon didn't sit too well with them. 'Them' mainly being Kunsel and Zack. You knew how good Kunsel was at gathering information, but weren't sure if he knew who Takamo was, so didn't think he would know about this anytime soon. This made you grateful, not wanting Takamo to find out where you were just yet. It would ruin the little surprise you had in store for him... especially since you wanted to tell him about it in person.

_Titled: I'll be there_

_From: Zack_

_Geez, gone already, huh? _

_But going on your own after that whole thing..._

_Are you really feeling alright, Meki?_

_If you aren't, just know that all you have to do_

_is say so, and I'll be there._

_I might even be able to hitch a ride by helicopter! _

_This morning I saw Tseng in the hall, and when _

_I told him, he already knew, but... I don't know, _

_he seemed kind of off about it._

_He had to leave for a mission too, but I think _

_we're starting to grow on the guy!_

As you read through Zack's words, you could almost hear his voice in your head. It didn't feel like that long since you last saw him, but being so far away was beginning to make you miss your comrades. Expression softening after reading the message, you moved onto the next one, but glanced around for a minute or so before looking back down. You felt guilty for making them worry.

_Titled: Is he crazy?_

_From: Kunsel_

_This is your first time alone, isn't it? _

_I heard you broke two ribs at most... I can't _

_believe Lazard finally decided to do this to you _

_now. What is he thinking? _

_Normally, he has good judgement about this _

_kind of thing. _

_Maybe there's something about you he sees?_

_Anyways, we better be seeing you by tomorrow, _

_so hurry up and get done, missy._

_Titled: Another LOVELESS play_

_From: Zack_

_When you get back, you, Kunsel, and me should_

_hang out. Kunsel said there's another variation _

_of LOVELESS that's about to show and says all _

_of us should go watch it. _

_He thinks it might help us see stuff from Genesis's _

_perspective, and who knows... he's probably right._

_I'll let you do your mission now, but remember, _

_just say the word, and 2nd Class SOLDIER Zack _

_will be there._

_Titled: Secretly helping?_

_From: Kunsel_

_Hey, about what I said earlier with Lazard _

_seeing something about you..._

_I'm not sure if you already know this, but there's _

_a certain scientist that just might have his eye _

_on you. __After thinking about it, maybe that's why _

_you __got sent out so fast?_

Staring at Kunsel's message, you paused. It was possible that was the reason for being put on this mission. But if that was the case, why would Lazard go out of his way to do this? Thinking back to your conversation with Adelle had a brief chill rake through your body. _Maybe he's just looking out for me 'cause I'm a girl and not really an adult yet... But that look the director had... could it have something to do with this?_ When you replied, you made sure to mention it to Kunsel.

Deciding to practice some sword katas while waiting for something to happen, you slowly unsheathed the sword from your back, eyes observing the area all the while. Continuing to focus on both the duty at hand and your stances, your hues slightly narrowed in concentration. When some time of this passed, you decided to try coming up with your own kata, which wasn't an easy thing to do, but... you had the time. And that was all you needed for pulling something like this off.


End file.
